Operation Cygnets (sequel to Fireworks)
by Blulili
Summary: Emma and Regina, established SwanQueen post season 5 Previously called The Legend of Maternidadia and a sequel to Fireworks. Emma and Regina discover they are pregnant then everything goes completely AU. Enchanted Forest, Storybrook and the growing children. Rating M for some parts. Lots of twists and some newish characters borrowed from other stories. I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a sequel to Fireworks and prompt from some wonderful reviewers! Yes, there will be babies! Picking up in Storybook but moving on to some other worldy action soon!**

 _They lay in a comfortable and satiated silence for a few minutes, maybe longer. Regina took Emma's hand and kissed her fingertips. She saw the sparks in the air and nudged Emma to open her eyes._

 _"Look what we made Princess."_

 _Emma looked around the room and saw the multicoloured sparks dancing around._

 _"Fireworks!" Emma squealed in delight._

 _Regina kissed her lover giddily, amazed that they had caused this magical scene with their love making._

 _"Yes my dear. Yes they are."_

Emma looked up at her queen with admiration. There were no words to describe how she felt in that moment. Everything had changed between them forever and yet felt so familiar. She couldn't believe that she was in Regina's bed, holding her in her arms. Suddenly she began to panic. Had it been a mistake? Had Regina just permitted her advances for the sake of not wanting to hurt her feelings?

"Regina?" Emma questioned softly.

"Yes my princess?"

"Do you, erm, does this mean we are.." Before she could finish the sentence, Regina had her lips on the blonde's, kissing her gently and whispered into her open mouth,

"Emma Swan, will you be my girlfriend?" Regina was resting her forehead against Emma's, biting her lower lip with a cheeky grin on her face.

Emma giggled and gently headbutted Regina forward and responded in a childish manner,

"I'll be yours if you'll be mine."

The women showered and dressed, unable to keep their hands off each other making The process take much longer than anticipated. By the time they got downstairs, it was already 11:30. Regina saw the story book and a piece of paper resting on the counter. It was Henry's handwriting and she smiled as she read it.

"What did the kid say?" Emma nodded towards the paper. Regina handed it to her new lover and flipped open the story book.

"It seems our son has been keeping secrets from us for quite some time." Regina drawled amused as she found the new pages. Emma linked her arms around Regina's waist from behind her and peered over her shoulder, resting her chin there. On the pages in front of them, the women marvelled at the image of themselves sharing their passionate first kiss. They read the passage and shuddered together, remembering the surges of magic they had only moments ago felt.

"So how do you feel about being a fairytale princess in a children's book?" Regina turned her cheek slightly to gauge Emma's reaction.

"Honestly," Emma mulled over, "I really wish the kid had clued me in sooner because this feels awesome. _You_ feel awesome." She turned Regina around so they were face to face and pressed her against the kitchen counter. The pair were lost in each other with their passion fueled kisses and failed to hear Zelena come in with the three children.

"Well, this is rather awkward," Zelena sarcastically interrupted. "I thought you'd be done by now."

Regina pushed herself off the counter and said coyly tilting her head to the side,

"It would seem that Emma and I had some years of catching up to do and that, my dear sister, cannot be rushed."

Zelena rolled her eyes and shook her head. "As pleased as I am that you two have _finally_ accepted your fate, maybe save it for when you don't have an audience."

The next few weeks were one's of domestic bliss. Henry still cringed everytime he accidentally walked in on his Mothers being soppy and romantic, but he really was happy with the way things were. The story book had been kept hidden in his room and nobody asked him anymore about it. As far as Emma and Regina were concerned, they assumed the next page had the _'and they lived happily ever after'_ line written on it. Henry knew differently but didn't want either of him Moms to freak out. Plus, he really didn't want to instigate _that_ conversation.

Emma was at the sheriff's station feeling a bit sick. She'd woken up even more exhausted than usual and thrown up at the smell of her morning coffee. Her stomach was swollen and she could smell the trash from across the room as if she had herself rolled in it. Roland had been sick the past couple of days with the flu and she and Regina had been taking turns to sit up with him. David walked into the office and gave a concerned look to his daughter.

"You should really take the day off. You look terrible."

"Thanks Dad. You don't look so hot yourself." She snarked. "Roland had the flu and I think I'm coming down with it pretty bad. Would you mind holding the fort?"

David came and rested his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Go home Emma. Let Regina take care of you."

She drove the short drive back to the mansion, stopping only briefly to pick up some Pepto Bismol at Storybrook's pharmacy. When she got home, Regina was upstairs fussing over Roland but didn't look too great herself. She was still in her night clothes and hadn't done her make up.

"You too, huh?" Emma said with concern. Regina stood up and ran out the room with her hand over her mouth. Emma followed her to the bathroom more concerned with her girlfriend than herself. She held Regina's hair back off her face as the usually regal woman wretched up her guts. Emma was heaving too. She'd never been good with puke and her nose was especially sensitive today. Before either knew what was happening, they were both spewing their guts up side by side over the shared toilet bowl.

"Some saviour you are Emma!" Regina spluttered in between pukes.

After 3 days of both women being unable to control the contents of their stomach, Roland was completely recovered. He hadn't thrown up the whole time he was sick and Regina and Emma assumed it must have been food poisoning from Granny's. Regina had refused to call Dr. Whale insisting that it was a bug and would pass soon enough. Emma was just as useless. She hated going to the Doctor for anything. The only time she ever went was when she was pregnant with Henry.

Zelena sat next to the two women in bed after another fun morning of cleaning up after them.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say the two of you were pregnant! I wasn't just a fake midwife."

She had meant it as a joke but Emma clicked. She had felt just like this when she was carrying Henry. _'Pftt, yeah right!' She thought to herself. She'd only been with one person in the past year and She_ was lying next to her.  
When Zelena left the room, Emma turned to Regina and asked, "Did you get your period yet?"

Regina thought about it and slowly responded, "No, I don't think I did." She looked at Emma questioningly.

"It's just, I thought we were syncing up or something, you know, all us women living together, but I haven't had mine either."

Emma jumped off the bed, dressed quickly and headed out into the streets of Storybrook. She flew into the pharmacy and grabbed a multi pack of Clear Blue Digital tests and raced back home. She had a hunch and her hunches were usually right.

"Here. Pee on this." She said as she flung one of the tests at Regina.

"Emma, don't be so ridiculous! I can assure you I have been with nobody else since you and I cannot conceive." Regina looked pissed off that Emma would even think she'd been screwing around behind her back and a little hurt.

Emma was already in the bathroom with the door open peeing on the stick. She shouted to her girlfriend, "Regina, do you trust me? Just pee on the God damn stick. I'm not accusing you of anything."

Emma came out and pointed at the bathroom door for Regina to follow suit. Reluctantly, she made her way into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

"What do I even do with this thing?" She asked in frustration from behind the door.

"Just, take off the blue cap and hold it under you for a few seconds while you pee on the absorbent part. When you're done, put the cap back on."

Emma had to laugh at her girlfriend's lack of knowledge as to how a pregnancy test worked. Regina really was innocent at times and Emma loved her even more for it.

Regina came out of the bathroom holding the test. Emma hadn't even looked at hers yet, distracted by having to instruct her girlfriend.

"Now what?" Regina asked.

Emma looked down at her test at the screen and showed it to Regina.

 _Pregnant. 6+ weeks_

Regina gasped not quite sure how to react and looked down at her own test. The same line was written on hers.

"Emma, I... I," she stuttered in shock.

"Regina, is this," Emma rubbed her eyes in confusion and continued, "..is this even possible with, with our magic?"

Regina stared into space as if searching for an answer. "Emma, I honestly don't know. I've never heard of such a thing in all the realms."

"Come on, get dressed my queen." She gave her a kiss on the cheek and rubbed her girlfriend's arm. "We should go and see Belle. She's got a shit tonne of books on magic and stuff. If anyone knows what's going on, she will."

Regina nodded, waved her hand and was instantly in her pantsuit and gestured for them to leave.

"Might wanna zip the pants first my queen!" Emma winked and pointed at Regina's fly.

Regina blushed and tried desperately to pull the zipper closed. "Emma it won't go up! What the.."

Emma laughed and poofed the mayor into her stretchy black slacks. "You are gonna have to get used to wearing spandex for a few months, Madam Mayor."

"That's it!" Belle exclaimed. "I knew I'd read something about this before."

Emma and Regina stepped closer to the librarian trying to get a closer look at the pages in front of their confidante.

"According to the legend of Maternidadia, there will be two great sorceresses in distant lands who shall wield enough pure magic to create and birth the most powerful princesses of all time. These sorceresses will possess a love like no other, both having lived through the blackest darkness and returning to the light. The princesses will be born of noble blood and everlasting love and no realm or time shall ever know such power."

Regina, Emma and Belle all fell silent and looked at each other in disbelief. Belle was the first to break the silence.

"Well I suppose congratulations are in order for both of you. It would appear you're going to have baby girls!"

Regina made the arrangements for their first scans, check-ups, well, everything. Emma was more relaxed beings as this was her second child but they were both apprehensious considering the predictions Belle had read to them. Would their little babies be born with uncontrollable magic? _That_ would make for some interesting feeding times.

Regina was in her study reading up on all the baby and pregnancy books she could get her hands on. She had never allowed herself to believe that one day, she would be able to carry a life inside of her, let alone her girlfriend's offspring. She was excited, nervous, emotional and uncharacteristically, out of control. She'd never felt so unprepared for anything in her life.

"Need anything, my queen?" Emma asked popping her head around the door.

Regina looked up, confused and trying to fight the words that had been on her mind since waking. It was useless.

"A bear claw." She murmered.

"A what now?!" Emma was visibly beaming. She climbed into her girlfriend's lap gently and took her cheeks in her hands. "Does my queen need something sweet to nibble on?"

Emma was pecking kisses all over Regina's face to which the queen couldn't help but giggle. Regina, it seemed, was getting all the saviour's cravings and was extremely annoyed about it. Emma on the other hand had only been able to stomach fruit and kale salads. Really, if they hadn't known already, there would be no doubt as to whose child they were each carrying.

Emma jumped off Regina's lap and bound out of the study just as Regina screamed,

"And a grilled cheese with extra cheese while you're there."

The first trimester was pretty easy after the morning sickness had passed. They settled into a comfortable rhythm of life and Zelena was a great help at calming Regina's nerves. It was a strange thing. Only a few months earlier their lives had been full of tragedy and darkness and yet, here they were painting the nursery for their little princesses.

Regina had worried about Roland feeling jealous or angry or acting out, but he'd been a sweet little thing and was already used to his little sister, Robin. He didn't understand yet the complexity of the whole situation. Henry did though.

"So Ma, baby Neal is my uncle and your brother, Mom is your step-grandma and girlfriend and mother of your baby _and_ adoptive mother of Roland, Zelena is your aunt slash sister in law, mother of my brother's sister, so, how is all this gonna work when the babies come?"

Emma stopped painting and turned to face an equally horrified Regina.

"Let's agree never to do our family tree. EVER again." Regina smirked and rolled her eyes. Even she admitted their family was more than a little messed up.

"It's gonna work like this, kid: Regina and I are your mothers and everyone else is just a huge bonus!"

Emma laughed and splattered paint over Henry's nose which resulted in a full blown paint fight. Roland was giggling and took his paint brush and placed it directly on Regina's cheek having seen his big brother do the same to Emma.

"You think that's funny do you, little one?" Regina mocked shock and began chasing Roland around the room screeching, "I'm gonna get you!" Finally grabbing him she tickled him until he screamed,

"Ma! Get her! Get her!" It was the first time Roland acknowledged Emma as his other mother and there was a love that filled the room which nobody could deny. Their family was beginning to feel whole.

Later that night, after the kids had gone to bed, Emma reached into her pocket and pulled out the ring she had been carrying around ever since their first scan. She wanted to ask Regina to be her wife but was waiting for the right moment. Ideally, she would have liked to have done things the other way around, but when you deal with magic, nothing was ever predictable.

Regina was taking a bath. Emma had ran it for her just a few minutes before and set candles, rose petals and jasmin incense out for her queen. She remembered that when Regina was younger, that had been one of her favorite indulgences. Emma walked slowly into the bathroom, feeling her heart bash against her ribs. Regina was completely submerged in the petal strewn water but for her delicate bump, head and shoulders. Emma sat on the side of the tub, mesmerised by her queen's beauty and serene expression.

"Like what you see, Miss Swan?" Regina popped one eye open but there was no malice in her words.

"I do." Emma said softly and took Regina's hand in her own. She knelt next to the tub and kissed her girlfriend's fingers as she gently slid the ring into place.

"Do you, Miss Mills?" Emma asked sheepishly waiting for Regina to catch on.

The brunette opened her eyes wide in delight as she felt the cold metal against her skin. She looked from her finger back to her girlfriend, pulling her closer into a wet embrace, Emma almost fell into the tub with her as Regina said,

"I do. A millions times I do!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we go!**

The town was abuzz with the news of the Royal wedding. It wasn't everyday two Royals were married and despite the women's protests, everyone in town was planning and throwing ideas around for the perfect day. Regina wasn't thrilled at the idea of waddling down the aisle six months pregnant but they both wanted to do everything officially before their babies arrived and of course, she couldn't wait to be Mrs. Swan-Mills.

The big day finally came and Emma waited nervously at the tree in the woods which had brought her to her queen. Regina had been worried that maybe it wasn't the best place to celebrate their love, considering all the torture she had inflicted, but Emma had insisted that if it hadn't been for that curse, Regina would currently be in her 60s and her sworn enemy.

Emma wore a white pant suit with feathery tails streaming behind her. She had her hair up in a bouffant on top of her head with light make-up. She felt like a David Bowie impersonator but her mother had insisted she look the part to marry a queen and if she wouldn't wear a dress, well, there had to be some compromise.

Regina walked slowly down the woodland aisle towards her bride. She was stunning in an off white gown with purple embroidery which trailed behind her. She wore her hair loosly braided with flowers tucked in between the creases, and her offical tiara perched on her regal head. Her hair had grown tremendously thanks to the pregnancy hormones and she had a youthful glow about her.

Emma's eyes pricked with tears of joy as her future wife stood in front of her. They exchanged their vows with the deepest sincerity.

"Regina, I will love you through time and space. I'll help you back from fallen grace. I'll love you like no other could. In sickness, health, through bad and good. In any realm, our magic intertwined. I give you my heart, my soul and mind."

The crowds wept at Emma's complete devotion and very out of character poetic sappiness. Regina was stunned beyond words.

"Emma, There is no curse, no spell, no feeling that compares in magnitude for the love I feel for you. You made my blackened heart pure and whole and taught me how to love. You are my saviour, my strength, my friend and lover. Mother of our children and bringer of miracles. I promise to you for now and forever, you have my heart and I will guard and cherish yours eternally."

There wasn't a dry eye in the woods. Even Grumpy and Mr. Gold were blubbering. It really had been a perfect ceremony and when the couple finally kissed, the white light of true love illuminated the entire town. Nobody could deny the power of true love's kiss and the ceremony drew to an end.

Gold's wedding gift to the women had been a honeymoon trip back to the enchanted forest. It was a two way trip for the pair of them but Regina was suspicious.

"Gold, how long have you had the means to do this and _why_ are we only just finding out?" She asked him.

"My dear, I simply think it fitting that you and the lovely Miss, I mean, Mrs Swan-Mills should spend your honeymoon in your own castle as is tradition with the Royal lineage. Please accept this as my peace offering to you both and by means of an apology for all my previous wrong doings. I myself have used this amulet on a number of occasions and had no trouble whatsoever."

Emma and Regina were still suspicious but what would Gold gain from doing anything dodgy with them at this stage of the game. The town wouldn't stand for it and he'd lose all the respect and power he was only just clawing back. Regina looked at Emma with pleading eyes. She wanted so much to spend their honeymoon together in her castle and treat Emma like the princess she really was.

Maybe it was those pleading eyes. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, but for some reason, Emma nodded and ignored her gut feeling that some crazy shit was about to go down.


	3. Chapter 3

While the majority of the guests mingled at the reception party at Granny's, Regina and Emma found Zelena wedged up the corner and explained their plans.

"Zelena, are you sure you don't mind looking after Roland and Henry for a couple of days? If you want, I could ask Snow and David to take Henry." Regina asked hopefully.

"It's fine my darlings. I can handle the boys for a few days. They are hardly any trouble at all. May I ask, where are you going for the honeymoon?"

Regina explained about the amulet for safe passage to the Enchanted Forest and how the magic worked. Zelena had nodded along but was distracted by baby Robin as she began wailing uncontrollably.

"All sounds lovely dear. Now go on, be on your way before I change my mind!" Zelena smiled and turned her attention back to Robin.

Emma and Regina waved their goodbyes to the rest of their guests and stood outside the entrance of the cafe. Regina followed the instructions Gold had given her and clutched the amulet in her hand. She read the spell carefully and took her wife's hand as the pink smoke bellowed out around them and swooshed the couple away from Storybrook.

Once the smoke had cleared, the pair found themselves standing at the entrance to the once evil queen's castle. Still clutching her hand, Emma turned to her wife and said,

"So what's the deal here? Want me to carry you over the threshold?"

Regina smiled and replied,

"Princess, considering our current state, I think it wise to save our energies for our next task," Regina poofed them both to her luxurious boudoir and perched as regally as she could manage on the four poster bed. Eyeing Emma with hungry eyes she whispered seductively, "and officially consumate our marriage."

After the pair had made love in the queen's royal bedroom, Emma sat up in wonder taking in her surroundings. From the four poster bed, she could see out across the realm for miles. It was so peaceful and romantic.

"Regina, I can see why you wanted to spend our honeymoon here. This place is amazing. It must have been really hard to leave it all behind."

"I do miss it. I miss riding through the forest and waking up in this room, but none of this compares to the life I have now. With you, Henry and the rest of our crazy family." Regina pulled Emma into a tighter hug and the pair fell asleep.

"Your highness, I'm so sorry, I had no idea you were back." A guard from the palace apologised sheepishly as he bound into his queen's room and woke her up.

"It's quite alright Maurice. It was quite late when we arrived and I admit, I forgot to announce our arrival. Please inform the rest of the staff that I will be here for a few days and, this is my wife, Princess Emma Charming. She is to be treated with the same reverence as myself." Although sleepy, Regina had instantly remembered how she ought to behave in front of her subjects. Emma was rubbing her eyes and beginning to stirr.

Once the guard had left, Regina turned to her wife and said, "Good morning my princess. Ready to get the full royal experience?"

Almost immediately, four ladies maids came bounding through the door with various swathes of fabric, jugs of water and other items Emma didn't recognise. Regina signalled for Emma to follow her lead and rose from the bed with her arms out to the side. Two of the ladies maids began undressing their queen unsure as to what strange clothing she was wearing and realising that she was heavily pregnant.

"If I may say, your majesty, congratulations." One of the older maids nodded towards her bump. Regina smiled and looked over to Emma who was timidly getting the same treatment. The pair were dressed in Royal garments. Emma looked in the mirror at herself wearing a blue and white full length gown which gathered at the bust and draped delicately over her bump. The maids had braided her hair similarly to Regina's at the wedding but it was pinned up at the back.

Regina was in a red floor length gown in the same style. It had black lace detail around the bust and Emma almost swooned at the sight of her wife in full regal mode. When the maids left the room she spoke,

"Would it be awfully wrong of me to rip that dress off and ravish my wife before breakfast?" Emma had a gleam in her eye but Regina laughed and said,

"My dear, there are customs that need to be followed here and a strict order of events. It would be completely improper to be late for any of them," she paused and added, "but I will gladly take you up on that offer later today."

The royal couple were greeted in an enormous banquet hall set up with only two places at one end of the table. Regina took the head and Emma sat off to her side. There were various plates of food Emma didn't recognise and gave Regina a disdainful look which she took to mean, _'where's the coffee and pancakes?'_

Regina winked at her wife and picked up a piece of something that resembled bread from the plate in front of her. She also took some yellow goo and plopped it onto her plate. Emma copied her wife and Regina motioned for the servant to fill each of their goblets with a red liquid.

Emma watched at Regina spread the goo on the bread and took a bite, following suit. It was delicious. The bread was similar to her favorite bear claw and the goo turned out to be an apricot preserve. The red liquid was a berry juice which she couldn't identify but was very pleasant. She could get used to this kind of breakfast!

Afterwards, Regina taught her wife how to ride a horse which she took to quickly. Then they walked around the grounds of the castle and Regina explained how everything worked, how she used to spend her days. Everything was magical and peaceful.

On the final day of their honeymoon, the women were saying their goodbyes to the staff and servants when suddenly, a whoosh of black smoke filled the room revealing an old woman dressed from head to toe in green. She looked haggard and frail but Regina instantly recognised her.

"Enchantress!" She gasped in shock and bowed her head in respect. Emma was aghast that her beloved queen would subdue to such a frail old lady but not wanting to cause trouble, she too bowed down.

"My fair queen Regina. As much as it pains me to do so, I am afraid I cannot let you leave with that amulet." The enchantress bellowed with a voice sweeter than anyone could imagine.

"The beast has tricked you and returned to his foolish ways, valuing power over love. I have been searching for a way to return and bring justice to him so that he may repent."

"My dear Enchantress, I beg of you, please allow my wife and I to return to our homes. Our children are to be born soon and our family is waiting for us." Regina implored.

"I cannot my child, the power of the amulet is fading and has only the power to transport one person on one last journey. If you and the princess were to try to use this, you would be shattered into a million shards, forever destined to float aimlessly alone for all eternity. The princesses you carry are far more powerful than even I. If they are not brought to life, all the realms will suffer and the beast will gain infinite power. Your children are the only ones who will be able to stop him."

Emma was trembling with anger. She used her super power to try to detect whether this woman was lying. She only found truth in her eyes. _How could she have trusted Gold?_

Regina spoke with fear and disbelief shaking her voice. "What does this mean for us and for the people we left behind in Storybrook? How long will it be until we can return to our family?" Her heart sank and tears trickled unashamedly down her cheeks as she thought of Henry and Roland losing yet more family members.

The enchantress placed a hand on Regina's face and revealed her true appearance to a gasping crowd. She was indeed the fairest of all the realms and Regina bowed her head in reverence at the only person who had been powerful enough to control the beast.

"Regina my dear. I will return to your Kingdom and place an enchantment on the people once your daughter's are born. They will remain sleeping peacefully, frozen in time until the day comes for your daughter's to do as is their destiny."

She placed a pendant around Regina's neck and then around Emma's and continued her prophecy.

"These pendants will allow you and your wife to remain youthful as you are now whilst raising your growing daughter's here in the enchanted forest. They cannot be removed by any magic other than mine or your future daughter's and only then with your express permission. Teach your daughter's the art of magic and the meaning of true love. Allow them to explore this realm and others with your guidance."

As a final parting gift, she gave Regina a mirror which would allow the women to communicate with their families before the enchantment was enacted.

"Please, take care of our family." Regina sobbed. "Are you quite sure there is no other way?" She asked desperately clutching at straws.

"There is not. You will have sixteen years to prepare for this prophecy. On the girl's sixteenth birthday, the enchantment will be lifted and their destiny will be set. Do not dwell on your loss. You have the power of true love on your side." The enchantress began reading the spell and the amulet glowed brightly. As the smoke bellowed around her she said, "we shall meet again soon under happier circumstances." And then she was gone.

 **So, really hope you are enjoying the twists! The Enchantress is from Beauty and The Beast. Might have gone completely AU but hope it still makes sense!**

 **Someone say babies? Getting there!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok so I watched the finally last night and was a bit disappointed with the outcome. I'm continuing on my version though. Let's just pretend like E21 and 22 didn't happen!**

Emma was pacing the bedroom in disbelief while Regina say with her head in her hands on the bed.

"What have I done? Emma, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't wanted so desperately to come here, we would be at home with our children now."

Emma sat down next to her wife and tried to comfort her.

"Hey, shhh. This isn't your fault Regina. Gold is an asshole. I'm gone kill him myself as soon as I figure out how to get us back." Emma spat bitterly.

When Regina finally calmed down, She remembered the mirror the Enchantress had given her.

"We need to tell Henry what has happened." Regina grabbed the mirror and said, "show me Henry."

"Mom! Ma! Why didn't you tell me Gold had given you the spell?" Henry was panicking but relieved to see his parents in the mirror of the mayor's hallway. He had slipped away at the wedding to write in the story book and when he read back what was in the pages he immediately went searching for his mothers, only to find it was too late.

"Henry did you know this was going to happen? Why didn't you tell us my love?" Regina said through tears. Emma placed a hand over her shoulder and saw Henry was crying too.

"Hey kid, it's not your fault okay. What happened? What can you tell us that we don't already know?" Emma added.

"I'm sorry. I only wrote the pages at the wedding reception and when I came to find you, it was too late. All I've written so far is that there is an Enchantress on her way here and she needs me to help trap Grandpa, I mean, Mr Gold." Henry didn't feel comfortable acknowledging his paternal grandfather after the man had tried to kill his mothers for the millionth time.

"Don't worry, Roland is safe. Me and Aunty Z are taking care of him."

Emma sighed in relief.

"Henry, listen to me. The Enchantress is going to have to put the whole town to sleep for 16 years as soon as the babies are born. We need you to find a way to avoid that happening. Think you can write some more in the book and get back to us?"

Henry nodded and said, "I'll do what I can Moms. What shall we call this operation?"

"Operation _Ineedmodernmedicinetodeliverourbabies_ ,"

Emma said sarcastically. Regina shook her head and gently said,

"Operation Cygnets."

Emma and Henry nodded in understanding and Emma hugged her wife. Henry smiled through the mirror serenely and replied,

"Operation Cygnets is a go!"

After Henry had disconnected their mirror call, the women went to Regina's library. There were more books than Emma could read in a lifetime and none looked less than 100 years old. They spent the next week researching everything they could about the Legend of Maternidadia, trying to find an alternative way out of their predicament.

"It's useless Emma. The only possible way I can think of to get back would be to reenact the dark curse and there is no way either of us is doing that." Regina slammed closed another dusty book and sighed deeply.

"Hey Regina, don't give up all hope. Henry is back home trying to figure things out with Zelena, Snow and David. We've got another 2 months to find a way home." Emma reassured her.

Emma was starting to miss the comforts of home. There was only so much reading she could do and she was exhausted from being pregnant. Regina was too but neither wanted to admit it to one another.

Regina poofed a laptop onto the desk in front of her and began typing her search query. Emma stared at her in disbelief.

"Regina are you serious?! We have spent almost 3 weeks without electricity or running water and the first thing you think to poof is a laptop?! This whole time we could've just clicked our fingers and had a decent shower and maybe some video games!" Emma was beyond annoyed at her queen and sat down in a huff.

"Well forgive me, _princess_ , if I had other more pressing matters on my mind, aka reuniting us with our family."

Emma realised she was being childish and dropped it, for the meanwhile, but thought to herself that they should maybe think about making things a little more comfortable if they were going to stay much longer. She hoped they wouldn't have to.

They spent their days researching every book, the whole internet and talking to various witches and wizards across the realm looking for clues. In the evenings, They huddled in front of the mirror, talking to Henry, Roland, Zelena and the Charmings. They had nothing. The Enchantress had captured Gold and was in a secret location, protecting Storybrook from his wrath. She knew even with her magic, she wouldn't be able to secure him for long, only the sleeping enchantment would be able to guarantee the people's safety. It would take all her strength to cage the beast until then.

As the 39th week rolled around quicker than anyone expected, Emma and Regina felt helpless and spent more and more time talking to their family in the mirror. There was nothing more anyone could do. Fate was being set and they focused on setting up the best medical care they could to deliver their babies.

Regina learnt some spells that enabled her to transfer knowledge and skill into their prospective Doctors so that in the case of emergency, there would be less risk to themselves and their babies. The couple used their magic to transform one of the rooms in the palace into a clinical and sterile environment and Emma even put in a birthing bath.

As the women were sleeping, their contractions started. Emma was the first to stirr. _'I can do this.'_ She thought willing it to be true. Regina popped her eyes open seconds later and grabbed Emma's hand panicking.

"She's coming!"

"My queen, relax. It might be a while yet, just breath and try to keep calm. You're gonna wanna save your energy, trust me."

Emma was terrified herself. She remembered all too vividly the pain from when Henry was born, but she needed to be strong for her wife. She was the saviour and even about to go into labor, she had to hold it together.

"Any chance of a magic epidural?" She grimaced at her wife as their contractions got closer together.

"We are doing this naturally Emma. Millions of women around the world do this without the aid of any... arghhhh fuck me!" She screamed in agony, unable to finish her sentence as the contractions became unbearable.

Emma and Regina got into the birthing pool to help ease the pain. They were so close, Emma knew it wouldn't be much longer. She was at the point of wanting to pass out. The couple clenched each others hand the whole time, refusing to break contact even as their own pain heightened. Regina looked at her wife and felt the urge to bear down. Emma nodded at her and within 2 minutes, their first daughter was being pulled up between Regina's legs and placed into her stomach. The room filled with the sound of their first child's breath and scream and Emma kissed Regina saying,

"You did it my queen. I am so proud of you." Emma trailed off as her own desire to push became uncontrollable. One of the Doctor's took Regina's daughter to be cleaned up and Regina gave all her attention to her blonde wife, holding both her hands and breathing with her as she pushed. A few moments later, the room again filled with babies gurgles and their second daughter was born.

"That was the most beautiful moment of my life. I love you, Emma."

"I love you too Regina."

Once the clean up and aftercare had been attended to, the women were permitted to hold their babies. They were perfect in every sense. Regina and Emma took turns counting their little fingers and toes and taking in their features. They fed the infant's and looked blissfully at each other. For now, they were happy. This was love in its most basic form and it was precious.

Emma gave baby 2 to Regina saying, "Hey baby, this is your other mommy. What's your name?"

Regina laughed gently and said in a baby voice, "Hi mommy, my name is Sofia."

Emma's heart warmed at the choice of name and kissed both mother and child on the forehead. Regina continued, "and this is your sister baby, what shall we call her?"

Emma thought for a while before she named their daughter. "Anastasia."


	5. Chapter 5

It had been three months since Regina and Emma had spoken to their sons and since the sleeping enchantment was enacted. Sofia and Anastasia had kept them quite busy with constant feeding. That hadn't really spoken about trying to find a way back and if either were to admit it, they didn't have the energy to keep searching for information.

Sofia had dark hair and eyes like Regina. In Emma's eyes, she was the most perfect and beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Anastasia was blonde with big green eyes. They both were beginning to show mixed features. Anastasia had Regina's nose and cheeks and Sofia had Emma's. They were adorable and neither woman could keep their hands of either child.

The family had settled into the east wing of the palace where the queen's bedroom was and opened up another room adjoining for their girls. It was definately beginning to feel more modern inside, even if the setting was still straight out of a story book. There were musical toys, colourful onsies, stuffed animals and various other objects that seemed out of place strewn across the palace's rooms. Emma had begged Regina to poof a copy of their couch, tv and some other home comforts into their make shift modern quarters which Regina had protested at first but now admitted that a certain level of comfort was nice.

The pair sat snuggling on the sofa one night after the babies had dropped off to sleep. Emma was clicking through the channels not watching anything in particular and Regina was resting against her wife's shoulder with her feet tucked up under her.

Emma huffed. "Everything is on repeat Gina. What's up with this thing?"

Regina sighed and looked up at Emma with an eye roll. "Magic has its limits Dear. I have to admit that I didn't watch a lot of tv back in Storybrook and everything in here is just a vague memory of certain things I've seen over the years."

Emma stopped flicking channels and laughed heartily as the images currently being displayed bounced around the screen and when Regina heard the program Emma had settled on, she blushed a deep crimson.

 _'Oh baby, harder! Don't stop! More, more!'_

 _"_ So, tell me about this lesbian porn obsession of yours!" Emma playfully jabbed an elbow in her queen's side and bent down to kiss her forehead.

"I honestly have no idea wh where that came from. I can assure you I have never watched such things in my.." Regina trailed off as her wife closed her mouth around hers and kissed her passionately.

"Gina, it's fine. I can only imagine the kind of kink you were into as the Evil Queen. And honestly, I'm kinda looking forward to getting to know that side of you!" Emma winked and snuggled up further to her wife.

Regina's momentary embarrassment faded and was replaced by thoughts of just how she could show her wife _that_ side of herself. The edges of her lips curled upwards in a sly grin and she poofed herself out of the room, leaving a stunned Emma hugging a pillow on the couch.

 _Fuck,_ Emma thought to herself. She hadn't meant to offend Regina at all, infact, she had hoped to get busy with her wife after almost nothing for so long. She felt completely back to normal down below and was looking forward to getting a bit of a workout. Suddenly Regina was opening the door of their bedroom with a couple of maids in tow saying, "Princess Emma and I will be here in the palace and if you need to contact us for any reason, ring this bell and we will be here in an instant, do you understand Clarice?" She asked the trembling maid.

"Y,yes your Majesty b-but how will you hear the bell if you are far away?" Clarice asked her.

"Magic, dear. I have cast a spell so that the princess and I will hear the bell whenever it rings. Now then. The children are asleep but if for any reason they wake up, there are bottles prepared in that cabinet over there and just push that button to make music play so they go back to sleep." Regina instructed the woman.

Emma had a million thoughts running through her mind. She was a little afraid to leave the babies for the first time but also intrigued as to what her wife had planned for them, if not a little apprehensious. Regina gave Emma the look which meant for her to follow and the pair walked out of the room in silence. As the door closed behind them, Regina said under her breathe, "You have no idea how kinky I can be. Are you sure you are ready to taste my forbidden fruit?"

Emma swallowed hard, she couldn't decide if it was desire or fear that was causing her to tremble but she managed to say, "oh I'm ready I want to know every part of you my queen." No sooner had she said the words, Regina had enveloped them in a cloud of smoke and transported them to what seemed like a dungeon, only more luxurious. There were all sorts of medieval items hanging on the walls and illuminated only by the blazing torches positioned around the room. It looked like a torture chamber except for the red velvet covered bed in the centre.

Regina dropped her pants to the ground and lifted her shirt over her head. She had transformed her under garments into a black corset, stockings and suspenders and panties to match. She looked every inch the dominatrix that Emma had imagined her to be back when she first laid eyes on her. Emma was drooling unabashedely and Regina felt every inch the queen that she was, the most desired woman in the realm and her confidence was returning with each wide eyed lustful stare her wife gave her.

She had been afraid to show Emma the dirtiest and darkest parts of herself, worried that she would scare her off, but she knew, after almost 4 months of chastity, the effects of natural birth on both their bodies and the stress of everything, they needed this. Hell, She needed this. She broke Emma's stare for a second to look around the room for her whip. Emma started to speak, "whoa, whoa! I'm down with this but honey, my bodies only just getting back to normal and.."

"Silence, Miss Swan!" Regina interrupted with a naughty gleam in her eye. She wasn't really going to use the whip or do anything too demeaning but she wasn't about to let Emma know that. Power plays had always been their go to back when they first met and she knew how much they had both enjoyed their tension filled banter. Yes, a bit of role play as their former selves would certainly give her wife a taste of what she craved.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Finally got a little more inspired to continue on this. Sorry for the long delay. I had to write some other stories that were dying to get out. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reading.**

The pair were absolutely exhausted when they had finished their long overdue antics. Emma had relished in seeing a taste of the old Regina, the mayor that had pushed her buttons all those years ago and Regina had enjoyed letting loose her dominant side in a safe and playful way. Emma was almost asleep and Regina poofed her back to their bedroom. She kissed her on the forehead and went to check on the sleeping babies. As if sensing her mother's presense, Anastasia stirred and began to murmer. Regina settled in a rocking chair and fed her baby in silence. She was content, satiated and so full of love. It wasn't ideal her and Emma being so far away from home and she knew that it wouldn't be easy for Emma to adapt in the long run. She was, after all, from a modern world and acustomed to luxuries that the enchanted forest could not offer. She made a silent promise to herself that no matter what, she would make Emma comfortable and satisfied in whatever way she could.

... 4 years later ...

"Mama, Sofia made my dress black!" Anastasia screamed as she ran into the room looking extremely annoyed and teary.

"Now, now Sofia. Don't tattle on your sister. If you don't like it, why don't you change it back?" Regina scolded half heartedly. It hadn't been the easiest of tasks raising two magical daughters. Their powers were indeed stronger than anything she had ever seen. They had started showing signs on their third birthday and Emma and Regina had both been nervous about the pure power they wielded. Regina's own powers hadn't become apparent until she was a teenager and Emma's only when she was 29. Ana huffed and waved her hand over the dress turning it back to the sickly pink that she loved so much. Regina laughed. She had no idea where Ana got this obsession with pink from. Neither her nor Emma had ever been fans of such girly and garish colours and even Sofia had more muted tastes. Ana was definately the girliest girl in their family unit and in a way, she reminded Regina of a young Snow, except blonde.

"Mami, tell Ana she looks like a fairy. Only fairies wear pink!" Sofia scowled. She was undoubtedly the bossier of the young girls and way too much like Regina. She rolled her eyes the same way, stormed around threatening to destroy anything that wasn't to her satisfaction and she was a prankster with her magic.

Regina grabbed the little girl and pulled her onto her lap. "Sofia, what did we say about making assumptions, hmm? If your sister wants to dress like a fairy and it makes her happy, who are we to judge?" Cuddling her closer. Regina knew she would have to work extra hard to keep Sofia on the straight and narrow path but they had a special bond and she could calm her down within seconds.

Emma walked in a few moments later taking a horrified look at her little girl's choice of outfit for the day and smiled. "Ana, your grandma is gonna love you!" She smiled and her and Regina gave each other a knowing glance and giggled. Ana was the spitting image of Emma but obsessed with everything girly, sappy and already a true romantic. Regina would never admit it but that was how she was when she was younger, before her mother had caused the darkness to take over. Really, it was her own influence on Snow that had caused her to be the woman she was now, or was, or whatever. It was too sad to think about them all asleep somewhere right now.

Emma had adapted to life in the enchanted forest quite well over the years. She kept herself busy with building and renovation projects. The first thing she wanted to do was introduce indoor plumbing to the palaces. After that, she realised she had a knack for such things and the palace and surrounding villages had begun to feel more modern. She was environmentally conscious and wanted to keep the feel of the old world. They even had electricity now through solar panels. Regina was impressed and the kingdom was fast becoming a metropolitan centre for creative and innovative types from other lands to convene.

Regina, having spent over 30 years as a mayor and countless more as a queen was a natural leader. The kingdom marvelled at the change in their once feared queen and found new respect for her. Between the two of them, in 4 short years they had transformed their kingdom and were seen by just about everyone as a force for good. The legend of the princesses who would eventually save all the realms was also a huge factor in conflict avoidance. No other kingdom would declare war or try anything out of sheer respect and fear of the prophecy.

"Come on then little ladies," Emma said. "Time for your modern history lesson." And she turned on the t.v.

Regina rolled her eyes at her wife. "Emma, darling, you do realise that when I said you would have to teach them about the modern world, I didn't mean stick them in front of a t.v. to watch sponge Bob."

Emma winked. "Who said anything about sponge bob?" And she flicked her wrist. Her magic had improved greatly over the years although Regina questioned her wife's idea of usefulness. She looked at the images on the screen and raised her eyebrows in an impressed manner. Emma had conjured up the Discovery Channel and there was a documentary playing about city construction. The girls cooed at the screen. It was so different from the world that were acustomed too and Regina went and settled next to them on the couch, placing a hand on her wife's leg.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a documentary lover, Emma." She said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, my queen, there are a lot of things you and I never got around to talking about what with all the saving people, transporting between world's and magical babies." She smiled back. "My choice in t.v. shows somehow seemed, what's the word, evanescent."

Regina cuddled up into her and gave her a playful jab in the ribs. Even after all these years, they were still learning so many aspects of each other. "Have you been reading the thesaurus again?" She teased.

"All the better to quip you with, my dear." Emma giggled and kissed her wife's forehead.

Regina scrunched up her nose in thought and said. "Wrong fairytale, idiot!"


	7. Chapter 7

... 10 years later ...

Regina had been staring at herself in the huge floor length mirror for hours. The girls were having their riding lessons and Emma was building a life size model of something Regina knew was based on Angry Birds, although Emma had tried to tell her it was a science project.

The necklace was weighing heavy on her. She should be dead by now and she wondered what would happen when they eventually returned to Storybrook, if they ever did. She hadn't aged a day. Neither had Emma, but Regina was really old now. She had seen so much and wondered when it would all end. There was a part of her that wanted to grow old with Emma, settle into a routine, become a grandmother, but another part, a darker part that wanted to remain young and beautiful forever.

The past ten years had been a whirlwind. Time passed differently in the enchanted forest and she couldn't believe today was the girl's tenth birthday. It felt like only yesterday her and Emma had brought them into the world. They were still so young and innocent in so many ways, but compared to the other children in the realm, they were so mature and worldly. Of course, they were princesses and had to behave differently to a degree but it was more than that. The magic and the sheer knowledge they possessed was awesome.

Regina missed Henry and wondered about Roland. It was going to be so strange for her and Emma and their daughter's to return. So much time had passed for them and yet none at all for Henry and the rest of their family and friends. The women had been leading a royal life for 10 years. Everything was how they wished and honestly, Regina was doubting if she even wanted to return to Storybrook. A thought crossed her mind. What if her and Emma gave the necklaces to their daughters? What if they remained young and then they wouldn't have to break the curse? They could buy some more time together and allow the women to age a little more.

Regina shook her head. It was a selfish thought and a futile one. She of all people knew the damage that could be done if fate wasn't allowed to take its course.

"Regina, It's ready!" Emma interrupted her wife with excitement in her voice.

She smiled distantly at her wife for a moment and Emma saw.

"Hey, what's up? Why are you so sad?" Emma asked already knowing the answer. Regina got like this every year on the girls' birthday. She knew that every year that passed meant they were getting closer to the prophecy and the unknown. That's why she had been working on this birthday present for the girls. She knew Regina would get the joke of it and was hoping to make her wife focus on the humorous side of life and enjoy the moments.

Regina embraced her. "I'm fine, dear. Just emotional as always. Now then, let's see what this contraption of yours does."

As soon as she saw the set up Regina was in stitches. It was exactly what Emma had been adamant that it was not. There was a huge sling attached to a wooden pulley device and there were multi coloured blocks of foam stacked on top of each other with numbers painted on the side. The girls were intrigued as to what the contraption was and the guests at their small birthday party were also scratching their heads. Under the blocks appeared to be a net and Regina rolled her eyes as she realised what her wife had planned.

"Emma, you cannot seriously expect to catapult our children out of that! Have you lost your mind?!" She gasped in fear but still highly amused. "And they call me the evil one!"

"Relax Gina, it's totally safe. I've got the riding helmets and everything. I've already tested it myself and I have to say, it's a rush!" Emma said strapping on her own helmet and running towards the thing.

"Ok everyone. This is how it works. Whoever scores the most points by knocking down those block gets a prize at the end. I'll go first to show you how it's done." She beamed with pride and signalled to one of the servants to release her.

Regina couldn't hold back the tears of mirth as she watched her wife go flying through the air, headfirst into the sponge bricks. She knew Emma had done this for Regina's own amusement and she had to give it to her, it worked. There were gasps and cheers from the crowds who had never seen anything like it in their lives and the young princesses were jumping up and down excitedly totalling up how many points their blonde mother had scored. Regina wished more than ever that she had a camera to capture the absurdity. Henry would have loved it.

"Alright! 180! Who's next?" Emma shouted breathlessly.

"Queen Regina! Queen Regina!" The crowds called to which she feigned shock.

"You heard them my Queen. The masses have spoken!" Emma called and lead her reluctant wife to the catapult.

As she was getting settled in the sling she turned to address the people. "I am only doing this to make sure it is safe for my daughters and subjects." Her heart was in her mouth as she turned to signal to the servant who was operating the thing. Ever competitive, she flailed through the air with grace and tried to kick down as many blocks as she could. The crowds cheered and her daughters totalled up the score.

"200!" Emma gasped. "Show off!" She added subtly as she helped her wife down from the netting. Regina was flushed with adrenaline and laughing like a teenager to the delight of everyone around her.

She caught her breath and announced, "I declare this contraption regally safe and approved!" And removed the helmet.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with laughter, music, food and dancing. Regina and Emma sat watching their daughter's enjoying their birthday with their friends in silent contentment. They held hands and drank wine. Regina turned to Emma and said, "I can't believe you knew about that obsession of mine!"

Emma smiled and pulled her in for an affectionate hug. They didn't usually do public displays of affection when outside the palace but it was dark. "Henry might have told me how you hogged his cel phone for months and refused to let him beat your high score."

Regina sighed with tears in her eyes. "Do you think they are ok? I mean, it's been ten years and those sleeping curses usually invoke some awful thoughts." She half asked Emma.

"Hey, they are fine. Remember, it's not a curse. It's an enchantment. It won't be anything like the sleeping curse." Emma soothed.

"I really hope you are right, Emma. I really do."

Sofia and Anastasia came wearily up to where their mothers were sitting. "Thank you for the best birthday ever, moms." Ana beamed and Sofia nodded.

"You are very welcome precious ones. Are you ready to call it a night?" Regina yawned.

"Yes, mami." Sofia said sleepiliy. "Can we just poof ourselves back to bed? My legs hurt."

Emma laughed. "Oh Sof, you are so unbelievably lazy! I don't know where you get it from." Looking at her wife.

Regina eyeballed her and Ana giggled.

"Well what's the point of having magic if we have to walk everywhere." Sofia carried on complaining.

Regina chimed in. "Hmm, I remember a certain saviour saying something along those exact lines not that long ago."

Emma grit her teeth. She had said it just a few days earlier when they had been out on a long hike. "To be fair, I had spent most of the day rebuilding the stables, hardly lazy!"

Regina ignored the comment and continued. "To answer your question Sofia, no. You need to make a proper exit from your birthday party. As tempting as it is, we must maintain a certain level of etiquette." She was still yawning and she really wanted to poof away too but it would have been rude and she always worried about her daughters using magic in front of the other children.

The family said their goodbyes and thanked the guests for coming and for the gifts. The kingdom really had spoilt the girls this year. As soon as they got back in the palace, Sofia transformed herself into her pyjamas and Regina sighed.

"Teeth cleaned?" She asked to which Sofia smiled showing her sparkling teeth.

"Okay then, give me a kiss and you can poof off to bed." Regina said lovingly to her daughter. How could she argue with her cute little darling.

"Thanks Mami. Love you. Love you too Mama." Sofia directed to her parents, hugging and kissing them both. "Goodnight." And she disappeared in a cloud of lilac smoke.

Ana had been walking silently clutching Emma's hand and was still stood between them both. She looked a little sad.  
"What's up Ana?" Emma asked. "Aren't you tired out?"

Anastasia thought about it and Regina thought just how much she looked like little Henry did whenever he wanted to ask something he wasn't sure how to word. "I was just thinking about our brothers." She said matter of factly. Emma and Regina both raised there eyebrows. They girls always wanted to know stories of Henry and Roland but hadn't talked about them for a few months now. Ana continued. "It's just I was thinking that they are our big brothers but when we go to Storybrook, they will be our little brothers. Won't it be strange!"

Regina looked sad but Emma laughed. "Ana honey! Trust me, our family is a lot stranger than that! Your grandma is younger than your Mami and your uncle Neal is 2 years old!"

Regina had to giggle when she saw Ana trying to do the math and figure it all out. She scrunched her nose up just like Regina apparently did and tilted her head just like Emma. She added to Emma's confusing story.

"Darling, our family's magic has a way of messing with age, time, realms, well everything really. I think tomorrow we can talk about this. Don't worry too much ok. Age doesn't matter when you have true love and family." She was saying it for her daughter but she felt she was also having to remind herself of the fact.

She remembered the thoughts she had earlier and bent down to give her little one a hug and kiss. "To quote a wise woman, we are family and everyone else is just a bonus." Emma beamed tearily as she remembered saying that to Henry in the nursery, which was just over ten years ago.

Ana nodded accepting the explanation for now, said goodnight and poofed away in a plume of pink smoke.

"It's all going to be fine Regina." Emma said pulling her wife her into her arms.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N Thank you again for following and reviewing!**

"Sof, are you asleep?" Ana gently prodded her sister.

"Yes." Came the response to which Ana rolled her eyes and jumped on the bed.

"Come on Sof, we have to talk about this. I know you can feel it too."

Sofia rolled over and looked at her sister. They had always been close, even if Ana was extremely annoying sometimes, but their ride this morning had brought them even closer together. She couldn't deny it. Something was changing and they both felt it.

"Do you think we should tell Mami what happened? She understands these things." Sofia questioned.

"I'm not sure. What if she thinks we did it on purpose?" Ana was worried. They hadn't meant to go that far out into the forest but they had been racing their horses and got a little too competitive.

They were only ten years old and minutes apart but Sofia always felt like she had to protect her younger sister. She knew that should tell their parents but she wasn't sure what it meant just yet and she wanted to find out more.

"No, Ana. Let's not tell Mami just yet. We'll go back tomorrow and see if it's still there."

...

Emma was up first the following morning which was unusual. She sat in the kitchen with the palace staff chatting away and annoying the cook, Mrs Potts, to no end.

"Aww, come on, Potts! You can't seriously expect me to believe that in the whole of this realm, there isn't one coffee plant or anything resembling it!" Emma moaned. They had had this conversation on and off for the past 10 years and she knew how much it rattled her cook.

"Your highness, as I have told you for the millionth time, pardon my manners, there are no such plants in this kingdom. Now, be a good princess and get out of my kitchen!" Mrs Potts scolded. The staff had come to learn that princess Emma was not as traditional as the queen and they could get away with a few direct words. Emma encouraged it infact. She hated being treated like royalty in her own home and wanted them all to act as normal as possible to her. She realized that it would never be completely normal as they were fairytale characters, as she put it.

Emma grabbed her cup of mead and sculked away. Regina was already dressed and in the dining room. The chamber maids no longer bothered Emma, realising she had no intention of wearing the complicated dresses, opting for slacks and shirts most of the time. Regina too had dismissed their services on most occasions, opting to dress in more delicate attire than the crazy corseted numbers she had favoured in the past. She was sat at the dining table in her riding gear and flicking through the realms equivalent of a newspaper. She raised an eyebrow at her wife without looking up.

"Tell me you are at least going to take those fluffy slippers off at some point."

Emma had crawled out of bed and shoved on her grey slacks but not bothered to change out of her pyjama tank top. The fluffy slippers weren't something she would usually wear outside their bedroom but she couldn't find her boots again.

"Good morning to you too!" She huffed. "Gina, did you send my boots to get cleaned again? You do know I could still see my reflection in the toes."

Regina looked up from her paper and shook her head. "Emma, those boots were filthy! You were traipsing mud all over the bedroom. They will be back in an hour or so."

Emma sat down next to her wife and gave her a peck on the nose. "You know I love that you take care of me, but leave my boots alone woman!"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Are the girls up yet? They are normally running rampant all over the palace by now."

Emma looked up at the huge grandfather clock behind her wife. It was after 9 already and the girls were awfully quiet. Her stomach fluttered in dread as she used her senses to detect where they were and couldn't feel their presence. "Regina, something's wrong. They aren't here."

Regina's face soured. The girls knew better than to leave the palace without a chaperone. Something terrible must have happened. She couldn't feel their presence either now she thought about it. Quickly she jumped up from the dining table and strode into the library, Emma following suit. She took out a huge scroll, unravelled it on the desk and unclipped a brooch from her jacket. It was a map. Emma knew what she was doing as she remembered vaguely a locator spell she had seen her use back in Storybrook. She held out her finger and Regina pricked it allowing the blood to drop on the map. Then she pricked her own finger and waved her palms across the scroll. They both watched as the droplets traced a path through the forest then evaporated.

"Wh-what just happened Regina?" Emma asked shakily.

Regina began breathing heavily and steadied herself against the desk. "Emma, they aren't here. They aren't in the Enchanted forest anymore."

...

Ana and Sofia had crept out of the palace as soon as the sun rose. They hadn't needed to say a word to each other as they shared a special bond, almost telepathic at times. Something had woken them up that morning and with one look, they knew what that had to do. They poofed into their riding gear and crept down to the stables. Ana had instinctively blown a sleeping spell over the stable boy before he knew what was happening. They mounted their horses and quickly made their way along the invisible path only they could sense.

After twenty minutes of riding, they found themselves at the spot they had discovered only the day before. There was a disturbance in the trees. It was as if they were looking at a reflection but they could sense the magic around them.

Sofia dismounted and tied her horse to a nearby tree. Ana did the same and the pair stood watching the space in front of them.  
Ana held out her hand which Sofia instantly took. "Somebody is calling us." Ana whispered.

"I can hear it too. Don't be scared, Ana." She said to her sister although her own heart was racing. There was something familiar about the voice. It was one she could only place to a distant memory that was fuzzy, like a dream. She wanted to run away, back to the palace and into her Mother's arms but the calling was stronger. Both the girls were feeling the surge of protection glowing around them. They needed to do something. They had to go to the voice.

Ana was the first to move. She stepped forward into the shimmering forest and Sofia matched her step cautiously. They held their breath and felt the magic swoop around them, in them, through them. The force caused the girls to close their eyes for a few seconds and when they opened them again, they were stood in a strange yet familiar land.


	9. Chapter 9

"Before the blood vanished, it traced a path through the woods, did you see that Gina?" Emma was pacing up and down the library trying to concentrate on the logic rather than the emotions she was feeling. Her fingers were sparking but she hadn't noticed.

Regina was trembling but reached out a hand to calm her wife, subduing the magic that was bubbling to the surface.  
"Yes. I saw that. It's at the end of the estate. It looks as though they were at the stables and headed west." She poofed Emma into her riding gear and out to the stables. Regina knelt down next to the stable boy, Roger, and waved her hands gently over him. Roger sleepily opened his eyes and jumped at the sight of his queen in such close proximity.

"Y-your highness. Please forgive me for s-sleeping. I d-don't.."

Regina cut in. "It's fine Roger. I believe princess Anastasia put you to sleep. Can you tell me where the girls went?" And she motioned to the empty stables.

"I, I don't remember, your majesty. I saw the young princesses coming towards me, then, then y-you were here." Roger stammered.

Regina looked at Emma desperately. Emma bent down and offered a hand to the young lad. "Was anyone else with them? Did they look sad or worried?"

"No, Princess. They were alone. They looked the same as they always do." Roger managed to regain some composure. Even though he knew the queen had changed, he was still wary of upsetting her and Princess Emma was more approachable.

Emma thanked him and the women prepared their horses for riding. Emma looked over at her wife and nodded. Regina cast her hands in front of her and her magic illuminated the path their daughter's had taken and the women began their ride into the forest.

"Emma, look!" Regina pointed to the two horses tied to the tree and dismounted.  
"I can feel magic here but It's not theirs." The path was no longer illuminated. It stopped dead in front of them and the only sign the girls had been there at all were the horses.

Emma jumped down from her horse and analysed the area. There was something strange here. She could feel the magic too but it wasn't visible. It was familiar. The air tingled with the same charges she had felt when returning from the underworld.  
"It feels like a portal opened here."

Regina nodded and the tears she had been trying to suppress flower freely. Emma pulled her wife into a protective hug. She couldn't stop her own tears from trickling down her cheeks either.

"Oh, Emma. I think you're right. I can taste the remnants of a portal. Who could have opened it and why now?" Regina sobbed.

Emma was just as clueless as Regina. She could sense the girls were well but she couldn't tell where they were.

"I really don't know, Gina. I don't think they are in any danger though. Whatever happened, I can feel they are somewhere safe. I wish I could explain it." Emma held out her hand to where she sensed the portal had been and the pair were instantly and violently thrown backwards. As the pair tried to get up from the ground, Regina waved her hands over the spot that had just attacked them. It showed a wall, similar to the town line she had put up around Storybrook all those years ago.

"There's a protection and cloaking spell here. It's blocking the portal from being reopened. This is powerful magic Emma. Not one that I've ever come across before."

"Do you think the girls did it?" Emma asked.

"I can feel a tinge of their combined magic but it's mixed with someone else's. I don't think they did it, no. It's more like their magic was charged as they passed through, like an emotional reaction. It's like they were trying to protect someone or something." Regina trailed off.

Emma looked at her wife who was clearly distraught. "I think we should go back to the palace."

Regina nodded reluctantly. She didn't want to leave the place where her girls had last been but she knew Emma was right. "We need to post some guards here to watch for changes. If they come back someone can alert us."

Emma placed a hand on Regina's shoulder. "I'll stay here while you rally them. They'll listen to you. Hey, I love you. It's going to be ok, Regina."

Regina bit her lip and tried to smile but it was forced. She untied her daughter's horses, mounted her own and led them back to the grounds leaving Emma to stand guard alone in the forest.

...

"Your majesty!" Roger exclaimed and ran to help her with the three horses. "The girls, are they.."

"Roger, the girls have gone. A portal was opened about 40 miles west of here. I need you to deal with the horses and warn anyone planning a ride to stay clear of the area."

"Yes, your majesty." Was all he could say before she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Regina strode into the barracks of the palace. Since there had been no wars in the realm for the last 10 years, her presense caused a stirr instantly. The guards had been reduced in numbers and there were now only 12 regulars who worked at the castle but they mostly say around gambling and drinking. Regina was seething with anger and her former evil self was rising to the surface.

"You miserable fools! I don't pay you to waste your time on frivolous activities. The young princesses are missing. I need you at your stations immediately and at least half of you 40 miles west of the stables. Go now! Princess Emma is waiting with further instructions." And she wielded a fireball to show she wasn't messing around.

The guards hurriedly readied themselves and fled from their queen. It had been so many years since they had seen her so angry and if any of them had doubted before whether she had gone soft, they weren't prepared to find out for certain.

Regina sighed regretting her outburst, but she couldn't control it. She had lost both her sons and now her daughters were also missing. She slammed the doors behind her and stomped up to her room. She picked up the enchanted mirror which had been all but useless for 10 years and shouted shakily, "show me my girls."

The mirror sparkled and hissed. For a moment, she thought she saw the outline of Sofia but when she blinked, the image vanished. She sobbed as she clutched the mirror against her chest. They were alive but someone was blocking her magic from reaching them. It stung. She knew it was her daughters' magic which was preventing her to reach out to them. Why wouldn't they trust her? What were they hiding? She felt a pang of guilt as she remembered her own troubled relationship with Cora. Was it possible that she had treated them badly the way she had been treated?

Emma appeared in a cloud of yellow smoke and draped her arms around her wife. "Hey, hey. I'm here Regina. We're gonna figure this out together." She spotted the mirror in her hands. "Did you manage to see them?"

Regina looked up at her. "Emma, they pushed me away. They're blocking me out."

Emma took the mirror and tried it herself. "Show me our daughters."

Again, the mirror fizzled and hissed and briefly an image of Anastasia appeared then faded away like static interference.

Emma's heart leapt at the sight and then dropped just as fast. "They are blocking both of us Regina."

After seeing the same thing happen to her wife, Regina felt slightly relieved. She knew they loved Emma even if she had doubted for a moment they didn't love her. She realized that they must have felt there was something they couldn't confide in their parents and she began to fit the pieces together.

"Emma, I think they might be protecting us from the truth. Maybe this is something we can't understand. I wish we could help them." Regina sobbed again.

Emma shook her head and laughed exhasperatedly. "My queen, our daughters are nothing if not smart. They know damn well I can always tell if they're lying and they're as sneaky as both of us! Whatever is blocking us from contacting them is because they don't want to get in trouble!"

Regina laughed through the tears. Emma had a point. They were only 10 and already they knew enough magic to get around their mothers when necessary. She was still worried. They were so young and the dangers of going through a portal were much larger as a child.

Emma sensed her wife's train of thought. "You know, I was a baby when I went through a portal for the first time and I turned out just fine."

"Hmm, that's questionable." Regina retorted half jokingly but pulled her wife into her lap. The girls were together. They were strong and in good enough spirits to warrant keeping their actions secret from their mothers. That in itself was comforting enough for now.

...

"I don't understand Ana. Mami and Mama said we wouldn't come her until we were 16." Sofia pondered as they walked along the asphalt into the centre of the town.

"Do you think it really is Storybrook? What if we have done something terrible by coming here now?" Ana questioned with wife eyes.

"Of course it's Storybrook! It doesn't feel terrible does it? You felt that pull too didn't you?" Sofia snapped so much like Regina.

Ana rolled her eyes. Her sister was right. Someone had called them here and they both knew it was important.

"It's just, we shouldn't have been able to come here, not yet anyway. Mami said the enchantress said we'd return in the future. What if we have to defeat the beast now?" Sofia was visibly scared. She didn't think she and her sister were strong enough yet to fulfil their destiny. They had only been studying magic for 4 years although they had been practicing since they could remember.

"Sof, I don't think it's that. I think someone needs us for something else." Ana sensed.

The girls walked through the streets of Storybrook taking in all the strange sights. It seemed familiar and new at the same time. Everything was how their mothers had described it. They hadn't met one person yet which gave the place an eerie feel but they knew the townspeople were sleeping peacefully under the enchantment.

"If we were here to fulfil our destiny, wouldn't everyone be awake?" Sofia asked more to herself than to her sister. Ana ignored her sensing she required no answer and her attention was drawn to a building up ahead. It was larger than any of the other structures and she recognised the remnants of her Mother's magic.

"Look, Sof. It's Mami's mansion!"


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N There will be a full explanation for this shortly!**

"Come on Ana. Let's go and see where our Mom's used to live!" Sofia almost ran up the front steps and pushed the front door open. It was so exciting being in this land and they had always been so curious about their mothers' home. They couldn't imagine not living in a palace. Immediately, the girls were awed at the strange hallway with modern wall coverings. Ana bound over to inspect the photos that were hanging on the walls.

"These paintings are so tiny! Do you think Mami was too poor to have large pictures in this realm?" She asked her sister.

"Ana, don't you remember what Mama said about this world's paintings? They are photographs and they are produced by a magic box." Sofia quipped and inspected the photos herself. "Look! Here are our mother's and this must be Roland and Henry!" She squealed in delight looking at the faces of her older brothers.

The girls wandered through the house in amazement. There were so many items which Emma had referenced over the years, some they had seen before as magical copies but most were alien to them. Ana picked up a remote control and pushed a button. Suddenly the fireplace roared into action and the girls gasped then laughed. Sofia sat on the couch, which was identical to theirs back in the enchanted forest, and picked up a bridal magazine which Regina must have left there so many years ago. She opened it and began examining all the images in astonishment. "Goodness Ana! This book has hardly any stories in it at all, only pictures and ideas for weddings."  
The girls giggled at the images of such strange clothing and food.

Next, they went into the kitchen. Everything was bright and clean and Ana pulled open drawers and cupboards to inspect the contents. "What do you suppose this is for?" She asked holding up a box of Fruit Loops. Sofia looked over and shrugged. She had opened the refrigerator and was hit by the coldness.

"An ice box! Look, there is still some food inside although it appears to have spoilt!" Sofia pinched her nose and closed the door. This really was a strange world.

The girls crept up the stairs and inspected the bedrooms. It was quite similar to what they had back home but the ensuite in Regina's room was breathtaking. They had baths back home but had never seen a shower before. Thankfully Emma had modernised the palace and they recognised the toilet at least.

They went into the room across the hall and discovered the nursery. "Do you think this room was meant for us?" Sofia asked, taking in the girly decor, teddy bears and baby furniture. Ana smiled. "I think so Sofia."

The last room they entered was Henry's. They girls had sensed that there was a presense in the room and had left it until last, a little scared of who might be sleeping in there. They opened the door and saw that Zelena, baby Robin, Roland and Henry were all asleep in there together. Zelena was in a rocking chair with the baby in her arms. Roland was tucked under the covers peacefully and Henry was lying next to him. They must have known the enchantment was close and opted to stay together.

Ana crept over to her big brother. She would have recognised him even if she hadn't seen a photo downstairs. The familiar magic that resonated from him was what had drawn the girls here in the first place. She went to wave her hands over him but Sofia stopped her.

"What if we can't put him back to sleep, Ana? What if something bad happens?" She was worried because their sleeping spells weren't as strong as anything like this. There was no guarantee they were doing the right thing and their Mami wasn't there to help.

"Sofia, you heard the call too. We must wake him." And she waved her hands gently over their older brother.

Henry blinked a few times, cracked his neck and stretched as the feeling began to come back to his body. He looked up at the two young girls standing in his room and smiled. "You heard me! Cool!"

He jumped off the bed and began searching his room for something. The girls just stared in amazement at their 14 year old brother. "So what are your names?" He asked matter of factly, as if meeting his younger sisters for the first time and waking up from a ten year nap was an every day occurrence.

"I am Sofia and this is Anastasia." The brunette introduced the pair. "How did you contact us? Why are we here?"

Henry opened the drawer and pulled out his book along with the author's pen. It immediately began glowing in his hand. "It was the pen." Henry said bluntly as if it were obvious.

The girls looked confused but watched as their brother sat at the desk and began writing in a trance. Minutes passed when he finally dropped the pen and inspected what was written.  
"I have a message for you. I know how you can defeat Grandpa, I mean, the beast."

...

Regina was pacing the palace furiously with Emma not far behind. It was useless telling her to calm down and she couldn't do anything more than try to support her wife, or at least make sure she didn't rip anyone's heart out on a whim. By now most of the enchanted forest had heard about the missing princesses and there were rumors of an uprising at the borders. It had only been 4 hours but Emma was learning just how quickly the mood of the people could change in fairytale land.

"They have just been waiting for an excuse to come at me!" Regina bellowed. "All this time I thought they had finally accepted me and forgiven my past wrong doings but no! The Evil Queen will always be a threat to them."

"Hey, Regina. Don't listen to rumors. They're just scared about the prophecy is all. It's only been a few hours and yes, it's horrible not knowing where our babies are, but I'm pretty certain they will be back soon. Don't let the scare mongers get you down. You're stronger than this." Emma tried.

"Don't do that Emma! I am sick of hearing hope speeches. I'm sick of being judged by things I did over 40 years ago but mostly, I'm sick of not being able to do anything about anything. This was supposed to be our happily ever after! We have been dragged away from our family too many times. Why can't we just be happy?" Regina was feeling so vunerable and rightly so. They had been tricked into coming here and forced to stay away from Henry and Roland to raise their daughter's who would eventually reunite the family. It was too soon. The girls were 6 years off fulfilling their destinies and somehow had been dragged off through a portal. She was at breaking point. She poofed herself off and Emma huffed and followed suit.

"Regina, honey. Listen to me." Emma soothed as she saw her queen lying in a ball on the bed, clutching their daughter's pillows. "We are happy. We have been for such a long time. Yeah it sucks that our daughters have to be the ones to bring back the happy endings, but there's nothing we can do about that right now. They will be back, I can feel it. We still have time. Trust me." And she spooned around her wife, kissing the back of her neck.


	11. Chapter 11

"Henry, how did you bring us here?" Sofia asked sensing there was more to it than the pen.

Henry shuffled a bit and showed the girls the book. "Okay, so I didn't exactly bring you here. It was the enchantress who opened the portal. She's getting weaker. I could feel the pen calling me but I couldn't do anything about it because I was asleep like everyone else. She opened the portal because you need to do your training, look. That's what I had to write. When the portal opened, I just kinda tried concentrating on you both. I could feel you were coming. It's weird. I never met you but I knew who you were." Henry tried to explain.

Sofia and Ana gave each other knowing looks. They had felt the same way as Henry. It was like their souls were touching. The girls had felt it since they were 3 with each other and yesterday, they both started feeling a third presence.

"I think it's mama's superpower in our blood." Sofia stated. Henry smirked.

"You call Ma, Mama! Ha, that's hilarious!" The girls looked sheepishly at their feet. It was a childish name but they couldn't imagine calling her anything else. "But yeah, I don't think it's just Ma's superpower. You know about the grandma and gramps thing, right?"

All three said together, "I will always find you!" And giggled, except Ana who found the concept extremely romantic.

"It's totally a Charming thing!" Henry said and carried on. "So, yeah, I guess when the portal opened you could hear me and i could feel you. Spooky stuff. How's Mom? Is she still, you know, good?"

Ana spoke. "Mami is wonderful! She is so strong and everybody in the realm loves and respects her. Some people are still afraid of her but everybody says that our Mothers together are the best thing that ever happened in the Enchanted forest. But Henry, she misses you and Roland so much. We have so many questions for you! " she hardly took a breath. There were so many things she had always wanted to ask her brother but they had to find out why they were there first.

"I miss her too. It's strange. It feels like only yesterday I saw her but I know it's been a long time because you are both so big. How old are you now?" Henry asked.

"Ten." The girls said together. They had a habit of talking at the same time.

"So you have come really early. The Enchantress said you would be 16 when you came back but I think she is getting too weak to contain him any longer. The book says you have to go to her to do some training. She's scared she might not be strong enough to teach you in 6 years. That's why she opened the portal. You would have had like, 6 more years with Mom." Henry trailed off and pondered the next part before continuing cautiously.

"I know something else though that the enchantress forgot. There's a rose you have to find. It's enchanted and it's linked to his life, like the dagger is linked to his power, but this is his human form. It's really old and it's somewhere in the enchanted forest. You're gonna have to go back and find it and then when the time comes, that's what's gonna help destroy the beast within him."

The girls looked at each other confused. "How do you know this Henry? Why wouldn't the enchantress have told Mami about it?" Sofia questioned. Something this important would have surely been comunicated beforehand.

Henry had had a hunch ever since the day the enchantress had shown up in Storybrook. Just before he went to sleep, he felt the predictions become clearer in his mind but it was too late to write it down or tell anyone about it. He spoke in a whisper. "The enchantress wants him dead. She knows there is a chance he can be saved but for some reason, she doesn't want that. I do. He's my grandpa. Even though he's done all this nasty stuff to our Moms, we've gotta be better. You've gotta be the heroes without turning to the darkness."

Sofia and Ana understood clearly what was implied. They would have to find the enchantress but she couldn't know about what Henry had told them. "Henry, is it not dangerous for you to tell us this? What if she finds out about your plan?"

"She won't. If our family is good at anything, it's keeping secrets. I trust you. You've gotta put me back to sleep though. We'll talk more in a couple of years." And he gave the girls a hug.

"Henry, how will we know where to find the rose?" Ana asked panicking.

"It's hidden in the Enchanted Forest. I don't know where exactly but in the book there's a picture of a tomb with the letters XVIII above the entrance. It's in there. That's all I know."

Sofia nodded and thanked her brother for the information. Her eyes pricked with tears and she hugged him harder. "We can't even tell out mothers that we were with you can we?"

"No, Sofia. It's too much of a risk. They can't know anything about this. Nobody can. Just give Mom and Ma an extra tight hug from me. See you both soon."

Ana and Sofia both held out their hands and gently soothed their brother to sleep. Sofia added some extra sweet dreams, a trick her mother had taught her after she'd suffered from nightmares a few years ago, and Henry's head filled with images of the girls' sweetest memories of their last years.

After wiping their eyes and spending a few moments staring at their siblings, the girls made their way outside. They could sense the pull of magic beckoning them into the woods where the enchantress was waiting. They had felt it ever since the portal opened yesterday morning but the other voice had been more insistant and more familiar. Now they had gone to him, the other voice was much clearer. They both shuddered knowing how powerful this woman was and afraid of what exactly their training would involve. Sofia ran her finger across Ana's lips and then her forehead and made a cross over her sister's heart as Ana did the same to her. "Let no one know our deepest secrets, guard it in our hearts to keep it." They both chanted. It was their special cloaking spell that only they knew. They had used it before to keep each other out of trouble for petty things, but this was the biggest secret that either of them would ever have to save and they were taking no risks.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N thank you for your reviews! I was worried about complicating things too much. I hope it is making sense. Ob: Gold is still the dark one in this story. ;-)**

It had been 4 weeks with no word from their daughters. The whole kingdom was anxious and Regina hadn't left the palace for fear of the riots. Emma had been trying to subdue the crowds and move them farther away from the palace grounds. It was worse than trying to control the people of Storybrook. She might have had experience as Sheriff but it was almost useless in the enchanted forest.

The whole of the kingdom were either searching for the young princesses or rioting and the prospect of war was imminent. Old King Cole had long been an enemy of both the Charmings and Regina and he was threatening to invade now there were no prophetic children in the way. He was a merry old soul apparently, but he was a vicious war master and ruthless in getting what he wanted.

"How did it go down there?" Regina asked her wife as she plodded back into their quarters.

"Honestly, terrible. I don't know how to calm them down. They are acting like a bunch of spoilt brats! Regina, you should go and talk to them." Emma whined.

"What, so I can go all _Evil Queen_ on them like you said?" Regina air quoted. "I'm case you have forgotten, they are accusing me of sending our children away and it's my head they want." She tried to keep her words even but her disgust was bubbling just under the surface. They had accused her of many despicable things over the years, but being a cruel mother was the one that stung the most and she would willingly go dark to bring the accusors to justice.

"Yeah, you know what. They need it! They haven't seen you since the girls disappeared and I think if you showed them how much it's affecting you, it might put a stop to the rumors." Emma added. "And I wouldn't mind seeing my queen in full regal bitch mode!"

Regina smiled lightly. Emma had no idea what she was asking her to do. The fact was, she didn't trust herself around the people right now. She was feeling so vunerable and angry that she knew it would only take one snide comment to flip her switch. Emma gave her the puppy dog eyes and Regina could see how exhausted she was from all of this.

"I'll address them on one condition." She looked pleadingly at Emma. "You have to stay at my side and any sign of me getting out of control, you poof me out of there."

Emma nodded and grabbed Regina at the waist, pulling their bodies flush against each other. "I trust you Regina. Even if you don't trust yourself."

...

It had been 4 weeks since the girls had met the enchantress. She had cared for them, taught them about the magic needed to control and defeat the beast and treated them with respect. The girls had been so afraid on their first meeting and it took a few days for them to trust the woman. Of course, they kept their secret and reserved a little part of their confidence in her knowing that her plan was different from theirs.

On the first day, the enchantress had explained how she opened the portal and how the act had weakened her further. "It's a complex spell that cannot be used frivelously. It takes great strength of body and mind and is a combination of both dark and light magic. I was only able to open it from drawing on the beast's power. You girls are born of light and dark magic. It runs through your veins and is balanced perfectly so you should be able to open portals once your training is complete." The girls were fascinated. According to their mother, to open portals required some sort of magical object like a wand, a bean, or in their mother's case, an amulet. This training was too valuable to them to pass up and they decided to stay.

On the second day, the enchantress showed the girls where Rumplestilskin was being held. He wasn't in a deep sleep like they had found their family. He appeared to be frozen like a statue but every now and then, he would move a muscle or blink. The enchantress explained that he was fighting against her power. He had become much stronger as the dark one and that was the reason she was unable to defeat him alone. The girls had found it all a bit scary being face to face with this strange looking man and the way that he seemed to stare at them.

The rest of the week was spent learning various spells and how to focus their energies to enhance their power. It was similar to what Regina had been teaching them but more intense. The girls had never combined their magic at such a level and it was a rush. Ana asked the enchantress one day after a particularly gruelling training session. "Isn't it dangerous for us to be using such strong magic? Won't it weaken us?"

The enchantress had responded with a smile. "My dear princesses, the more you use your powers, the stronger they will become. Your magic needs to be released every day unlike that of your parents. It is a required bodily function of you both. You must learn to release it back into the earth and into nature in a controlled and loving manner. Come. I will show you."

After four weeks, the girls had matured drastically. They knew and felt things that couldn't be explained in words and had a deep understanding of nature, spirit and physical matter. The enchantress had taught them as much as she was physically able to but their power was more than double hers. "Princesses, heed my guidance. Remember what I have taught you and develop your own skills. There is much for you to learn which I cannot assist you with. The next four years will be a test of your diligence. You must return to your parents and help lead the people of the Enchanted Forest. Use your magic to bring peace and harmony to the realms. Your final test will come sooner than you think. On your sixteenth birthday, you will return and conquer our enemy."

The girls harnessed their energies and opened a portal back to their home. Their mission was clear and they had learnt all that could from the older woman. "Thank you for teaching us Enchantress." Sofia said and hugged her tutor goodbye.

"We will do as you have instructed and return soon. Goodbye Enchantress." Ana pitched in and joined the embrace. They had both grown close to the woman and felt a deep respect for her. There was a pang of guilt in their hearts for keeping their secret from her but they owed it to Henry to protect his Grandfather. Without another word, the girls stepped through the portal and it instantly drew them back to where their hearts desired to be.

...

"Silence you fools!" Regina bellowed from the platform in front of the rioting crowds. Immediately, the people obeyed her and turned their attention to their queen. Emma was impressed. Regina certainly knew how to get her subject's attention.

"As you are well aware, my daughters, princess Anastasia and princess Sofia, are missing. They were taken from this land through a magical portal which opened in the forest four weeks ago. Said portal is being guarded and we are anxiously awaiting their return." Regina drawled.

A voice in the crowd shouted out. "There's only one person who could do something so cruel to the princesses and that's you! The Evil Queen!" The rest of the crowd began muttering their agreement with the brave speaker and Regina spat back.

"My daughter's are the most precious and loved people in my life. I have never wished them harm in any way. I am a concerned mother and I want nothing more than their return." Tears were pricking at her eyes. How could they possibly think she wanted to get rid of them?

"Without the princesses, you will be free to return to your evil ways and destroy us all!" Shouted another anonymous heckler.

Regina smirked evilly. "I can assure you that I most certainly am capable of destroying you all in a blink." And she snapped her fingers causing the ground to tremor below the people. "If any harm comes to my daughters, or if anyone else has the gall to accuse me of wrong doing, there will be blood."

As the people tried to regain their balance and the weight of her words hit them, a confused silence fell over the crowds. They had forgotten how powerful their queen was and how vindictive she could be. If she thought any of them had been involved in her children's disappearance, they were dead on their feet. The crowds began to disperse and scuttle away. She had made her point and Regina was feeling every inch the queen.

As the crowds parted, a loud bang shook the ground again causing the people to topple over. A bright light appeared and the air thinned. The crowds were terrified thinking their queen was about to end them and they turned to plead with the woman. Queen Regina and Princess Emma stood gasping in amazement, wide eyed and expectant. They recognised a portal was opening and they looked at each other with hope.

As the light faded, everybody turned back to the space to watch in amazement as the young princesses appeared out of nowhere and ran directly to their mothers.

"My babies!" Regina screamed through tears and crouched down to hug them both tightly. Emma dropped to her knees also and joined the embrace. The subjects watched the exchange with open mouthes. They had never seen their queen cry or display love so openly. They immediately felt guilty for accusing their leader of foul play and were relieved to see the return of their princesses.

"Where have you been? Are you ok? What happened? Don't ever do that to us again!" Regina bombarded the girls with all the mixed emotions she was feeling.

"Sorry Mom, Ma. We are ok. We won't leave again like that. Promise." Ana and Sofia said in unison.

Emma heard and raised her eyebrow but chose to ignore it for the moment. There would be time for that conversation when they were back safely in the palace.

"Come on kids. Let's get you back inside and you can talk us everything." Emma said as the four turned back to the palace.


	13. Chapter 13

After they were all settled safely inside the palace and the guards were informed of their return, the girls sat wide eyed waiting for the inevitable questioning. Regina began. "So, what happened?"

Sofia started. "Mom, there are many things we can't tell you. I hope you understand. Nothing bad happened to us and we are sorry for disappearing without a word. The Enchantress needed us to start out training early because she was getting weaker."

Regina eyed her daughters with apprehension. "But the enchantress is in Storybrook. Is that where you have been? How did she open a portal? She said there was only enough magic left in the amulet to transport herself back. I don't understand." Emma was standing beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

Ana continued. "It was recharged." She lied. She felt horrible lying to her Mother but they knew that if she knew the truth, she would want to go back and see Henry and Roland and it was too much of a risk right now. "The enchantress had enough magic to bring us there and send us back for our training. On our 16th birthday, the portal will open again and we will all be able to return."

Regina accepted the explanation but Emma's lie detector was going haywire. There was more to it than that but they weren't going to get the truth right now.

"So if you were in Storybrook, did you see our family? Was everyone still asleep?" Regina continued asking.

"We went straight to the enchantress in the forest. We didn't see any person other than her." Sofia lied again. "She told us that the townspeople were sleeping peacefully and would only wake on our 16th birthday after the final battle." It was mostly true. She had actually told the girls that on their first day there and explained that they were not to go into the town under any circumstances.

Ana looked at Emma. She knew she wasn't buying into it and she gave her a _please don't make us break out promise_ look. Emma was just so relieved to have them back that she let it slide. She knew they had seen Henry and had spoken to him. They girls had suddenly started calling her Ma instead of Mama and that was a Henry thing. She asked cautiously. "So everyone is definately asleep now?" She emphasised the _now_ in a way that confirmed she knew at some point, someone was awake.

Sofia and Ana nodded and a small blush crept over Sofia's cheeks. "Asleep and dreaming of fairytales, Ma." She smiled at Emma with reassurance. Emma'a heart warmed at the reassurance and knew this was the girls subtle way of letting them know Henry was ok.

After more talk, endless questioning and some shady half answers, the girls were dismissed to get ready for bed. Emma and Regina sat on the sofa, relieved for the first time in weeks and content in each others arms. Regina sighed. "They're holding so much back aren't they."

"Yep. But I kinda get it. They've got a huge responsibility on their shoulders for such a young age. They would tell us if they could, Regina. We've just got to trust them both on this." Emma said.

"They have seen Henry. I know it. They must have talked to him because they are calling us Mom and Ma! Why do you think they won't tell us?" Regina pondered. She was worried about the boys and it would have been a huge relief for her knowing that were well and safe.

"Oh, yeah. They have definately been talking to Henry!" Emma giggled. "Our kids and their secret operations. You and I both know we won't get a peep out of them until whatever crazy plan they've come up with is complete. Gina, the boys are fine, the girls are home safe. I don't know about you but I could use a drink and an early night."

Regina sighed and rolled her eyes. "Come on then, I think I can rustle up some cider if you go and keep the bed warm."

...

 **Three years later**

Regina, Emma and their teen girls had decided to take a vacation at Snow White's summer palace. They had been meaning to go for a while but ever since the girls returned after their disappearance, public duties and peace keeping meetings had taken up all of their free time. Emma felt bad for the amount of responsibility the girls were expected to have and had insisted on taking them away for a fun filled summer of being the kids they were.

Regina had been surprisingly relieved at the idea too. The girls had not long turned 13 and she knew that it wouldn't be long until they were less than keen to spend any time with their uncool mothers. Ana was already desperate to fall in love with the first eligible boy that turned up and Sofia was beginning her rebellious stage, not that she'd done anything too outrageous. Emma had reminded Regina that if they were in Storybrook, Sofia would probably be rocking some piercings, goth make up and clothes and blasting heavy metal in her bedroom at all hours. Regina had laughed at the idea but honestly, it wasn't the first time she'd imagined her daughter that way.

The family were to spend 3 months at the summer palace and had held the enchanted forest's equivalent of a press conference, explaining that they needed time away from the public eye to concentrate on family matters. The public had been happy enough to let them get away, especially after the royals had done so much for the realm in recent years.

Regina was propped up on her elbows laying stomach down on the blanket covered grass. She watched the girls playing Emma's version of baseball. It was definately more cricket than baseball but they seemed to be enjoying themselves so Regina spared the snark. She hadn't had the luxury of tanning for more years than she cared to remember and it was a relief to be out in the open in nothing more than a bikini. Back in their palace, she wouldn't have dreamed of being so exposed, but this place was all theirs. They'd even dismissed the groundspeople for a couple of weeks, suggesting they take time to spend with their own families. Of course Regina wasn't prepared to spend the whole summer without service but it was nice for a few weeks and reminded her of their life back in Storybrook. It was much more intimate this way.

"Goal!" Emma screamed as Ana hit the ball clear over the fence and out into the cemetery. Regina giggled at her wife's complete ignorance over sports terminology. "You are scarring out daughters for life, you do realise Emma?" She drawled unable to hold back her sarcasm. "I raised boys and I can assure you, the term is _home run_!"

Emma came and lay down next to her wife and laughed. "I totally knew that. Just thought it's be kinda funny when we get back and have a couple of games with Henry and Roland!" She winked.

"Emma Swan-Mills, you are a cruel mother!" Regina said trying to hide her amusement but knowing how much fun Henry would have at the girls' expense.

"Hey, we gotta keep some things a mystery for them, right? Don't want them getting too cocky like a certain Mrs _I know everything and nothing shocks me._ " Emma playfully replied. "Hey, Ana. Go get the ball. Your Mom wants to show us how its done!"

Ana ran off in the direction of where the ball had gone leaving their mothers to tease each other and play fight on the grass. Sofia huffed sarcastically. At times they acted worse than Ana. It was embarrassing how much they loved each other and their PDA's were grossing her out. "Get a room!" She called back which just made the pair giggle even harder.

"We have one! We just like embarrassing you dear!" Regina called back and licked Emma's cheek.

Sofia stomped off after her sister to find the ball. When she finally caught up to her, she saw Ana standing frozen in the middle of the cemetery. "What is it Ana? Did you see a ghost or som...?" She quipped but trailed off as she saw exactly what her sister was staring at.

"Do you see what I see Sof?" Ana asked not moving her gaze from the stone in front of her.

Sofia took her sister's hand and lead her away. "Come on. We can't do this now. Tonight. When Mom and Ma are asleep."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N Thank you again for following and reviewing. Had a couple of busy days being a mean old boss lady but think the worst is over now! I changed the name of the story to Operation Cygnets. Had been meaning to do so for a while.**

Emma looked between Ana and Sofia and then to Regina as they sat at the dinner table that evening. The atmosphere had changed as soon as the girls had come back from recovering the ball. Sofia was being very obedient and Ana was awfully quiet. She was so much like Henry when she was worried about something and it killed Emma to see her girls struggling with something she knew she couldn't help with. The saviour in her wanted to jump in front of a bus for them, or a carriage in this world, but she had no idea how to help. She found herself thinking about her father and imagined how he must have felt having to stand by and watch her struggle with being the saviour.

"Is everything ok, Emma?" Regina asked.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about David." Emma stated nostalgically. Regina gave her a knowing smile and they carried on eating in relative silence. When the girls had finished, Ana excused herself from the table staying that she felt tired. Sofia followed shortly after her yawning.

"They are up to something." Regina observed.

"I agree." Emma added trying to figure out the shift. "Let's pretend we are having an early night and see what they do."

Regina's lips curled at the sides at Emma's plan. "They might be sneaky but I think they're forgetting who their mothers' are!"

Emma and Regina made a lot of noise as they want to their room, making a show of being exhausted from all the sports they'd played that afternoon. They settled under the covers fully dressed and turned out all the lights. Regina whispered, "Do you think They will fall for it?"

Emma giggled and gave her wife a peck on the nose. "If you can manage to keep quiet and stop distracting me with your gorgeousness, then yes!" They cuddled up and tried to be quiet but soon enough they were in the midst of a passionate session. Neither could resist each other as it was and soon forgot about why they were trying to stay awake in the first place. Suddenly, Emma stopped their love making as she heard something.

"That was the front door, Regina." Her wife shot up and went to the window of the room trying to stay in the shadows.

"They're going out towards the cemetery Emma. Should we follow them?" Regina said a little flustered and shivering from the cold night air. She was still naked and annoyed at being disturbed in such a heated moment. Emma stood up and draped a sheet around her wife, pulling her back into the bed.

"I have a better idea." and she poofed the magic mirror off the bedroom cabinet. "Show me the girls." The mirror fizzled into action and showed Emma and Regina what they wanted to see. Obviously the girls had thought their parents were asleep and didn't perform a cloaking spell this time. The women sat with mouthes open on the bed as they watched the goings on in the mirror.

...

"Sofia, slow down. You might break something." Ana called out concerned for her sister. Sofia scoffed.

"Ana, really. I'm not as clumsy as you! I'm not going to break anything, idiot!"

Ana had to be honest. She was concerned about her sister but mostly she was terrified of being in a cemetery at night. She could sense the death all around her and it was frightening. Sofia huffed and slowed down to wait for her sister. She herself didn't fear death or spirits. It was a cycle of life and there weren't any witches buried in this cemetery, only the White kingdom's deceased royals.

"Stop being a baby, Ana. Nothing can hurt us here. The dead are dead! You've been reading too many ghost stories." Sofia teased but held out her hand anyway.

The girls reached the tomb which had the letters XVIII inscribed above the entrance. There was a slight depression on the left where the entrance stone could be moved. Sofia slid her hand in and tried to pull it across. "It's too heavy Ana. Help me."

The girls pushed and pulled but couldn't move the stone door. They leant back against it in exhaustion, panting and sweaty. "I wish Henry had been more specific. So you think we should use magic to move it?" Ana asked cautiously. They were both thinking the same thing. It could be risky to use magic if there was something enchanted inside. Sofia thought through their options. There was no way that would open it using brute force on their own. They had no choice.

The girls harnessed their magic and gently coaxed the rock to the side, allowing them access to inside the tomb. There was a red glow coming from inside. Ana nodded to her sister and they went inside.

Immediately the girls saw a red rose glowing and floating at the back of the tomb. It was inside a jar with fallen petals collecting at the bottom. There were sparks twinkling all around it and the girls were awed at the beauty of this enchanted object. Sofia went to take it but as she did, the rock door fell shut behind them. The girls turned around and tried to use their magic to push it open again but they couldn't harness any. Something was blocking their power.

"Ana, what are we going to do? Our magic isn't working. We're trapped." Sofia suddenly panicked and lost her usual cool. Ana tried again and again to gather her power but it was in vain.

"The Enchantress must have done some sort of spell to hide the rose from magic. It feels like a cage doesn't it?" Ana said to her sister who nodded and let a few tears fall from her eyes. She grabbed the rose in the jar and held it up closer to the entrance to see if there was a way of opening it from inside. There wasn't. Whoever had built this hadn't thought about the possibility of someone wanting to get out. The girls tried their strength again to no avail.

"Mom and Ma are going to kill us." Ana said. Sofia sighed and half jokingly, half terrified said,

"We'll be dead before then."

...

Emma and Regina jumped as they watched the tomb covering slip back over the entrance. It wasn't magic as far as they could tell, just the sheer weight of the stone. Regina looked at her wife and raised an eyebrow. "Well it serves them right for sneaking off in the middle of the night, the little madams!" Emma rocked her head backwards and huffed.

"Suppose this means we have to go and rescue them. Damn! I was hoping they were just sneaking off to meet a boy or something."

Regina scowled at the thought but said, "Let's leave them to stew for a while. They aren't going anywhere and you and I have some unfinished business." She winked and leaned into Emma who dropped her jaw in astonishment.

"Aha! There it is! Don't look now Gina but I think your evil is showing."

After the pair had dressed at a leisurely pace, they walked down to the cemetery and found the tomb they had seen in the magic mirror. Emma pulled it aside with ease. She had gotten very strong from all the construction work she'd been doing over the years and Regina was impressed with her wife's muscles.

The girls heard movement outside and began panicking. Quickly, Sofia grabbed the rose in its jar and shoved it into the empty satchel she had brought along. Ana was terrified and squeaked, "please don't hurt us." as the stone rolled back to reveal two shadowy figures standing in the entrance.

"Mom! Ma!" Sofia called in relief then hung her head as she realised they had been caught.

Emma spoke. "Wanna explain what you are doing out here in the middle of the night?"

Ana and Sofia looked at each other unsure of how much of the truth they could get away with withholding.

"Ma, we are sorry. Thank you for rescuing us. We were so afraid." Ana started and hugged Emma around the waist.

"Answer the question, girls." Regina said sternly. She wasn't about to let them dodge out of this without an explanation.

Sofia reluctantly began to respond. "There is something we needed to do but we had better not talk here. Someone could be listening." The 4 of them poofed back to the palace.


	15. Chapter 15

Once inside the palace, the girls sat on the sofa. Sofia tried to push the satchel behind her back but Emma saw what she was doing in grabbed it from her hands.

"Ma, please don't open it!" Sofia whined but it was too late. Emma began pulling the jar from the bag and held it up. Regina's eyes widened at the sight of the glowing rose. She'd never seen anything like it.

"What is this, girls? Why were you hiding it from us?" Regina asked.

Emma rolled her eyes. She knew exactly what it was. When she was a child, she'd been to see Beauty and the Beast several times, sneaking in to the movie theatre at every opportunity. "It's the enchanted rose linked to the beast, isn't it?" she stated more for confirmation than anything else.

Ana and Sofia's eyebrows shot up in panic. How did Ma know about that? They looked between each other to check whether they should be honest. Ana nodded solemnly.

"So, I'm guessing this is something you need for the future right? And you can't talk about it for some reason." Emma continued.

"Ma, the Enchantress can't know we have it. Someone told us that it existed when we were in Storybrook but it's a secret." Sofia blurted out then covered her mouth as she realized what she'd let slip.

Regina sighed. "And this person, of course, would be Henry. Why didn't you just tell us that you had spoken to him?"

"He told us that nobody could know about it. We wanted to tell you but it was too risky. The Enchantress doesn't know we woke Henry and when we started our training, she told us we couldn't go into the town under any circumstances, but we already had." Ana explained.

"So what does this thing do exactly?" Regina asked signaling towards the rose.

Ana and Sofia looked at their feet. They couldn't reveal anymore, for Henry's sake. They had made a promise to him to save his grandfather and they knew that both their mother's wouldn't be happy about it. He was after all, the person who tried to kill them. Emma raised a hand and shook her head.

"Regina, I think we should drop it. As annoyed as I am about all this sneaking around, we have to respect their privacy on this. We don't know or understand enough about it to mess around with this stuff. I'm sure if it was dangerous the girls would tell us, wouldn't you?" Emma asked and continued, "but if there's anything we can help with, I hope you know we aren't as useless as you think. We are still The Queen and Saviour!"

The pair nodded sheepishly. "Yes, Ma. It's not. Please don't make us break our promise Mom." they pleaded. They could see their Ma was going to let it go but they weren't sure about their stricter Mother. If they told her too much, there was no telling what she would do. They knew the kind of death threats she had made about the beast in the past and how much she despised him.

Regina dismissed the girls, "well alright. I suppose you had better put that somewhere safe and I trust you know what you are doing. Now, get back to bed before I change my mind."

Emma looked up at her wife proudly. She knew it wasn't in her nature to let things slide but she was really trying. When the girls had gone to bed, the women also turned in for the night. As they lay down, Regina asked. "How did you know what that was?"

Emma grinned and told her about the Disney version she knew so well.

…

 **2 Years Later**

It was midnight. Regina and Emma were sat in the entrance of the palace impatiently tapping their fingers on their knees. Sofia was already in bed but Ana had gone off with a young lad from the village and should have been home by eight p.m. "See, this is why I said we should have got the girls cel phones." Emma whined. Regina glared at her wife, already annoyed at the situation; she couldn't handle Emma being in an _Itoldyouso_ mood.

"I knew we shouldn't have let her go out with that Thomas. He has no respect for Royalty or any of the usual courting etiquette. I bet he's taken her off to a dark alley somewhere and is corrupting her as we speak!" Regina was furious. She was now pacing frantically up and down the hallway unable to keep still. Emma wasn't that calm either. She wasn't sure how the boys were in this realm at fifteen, but she vividly remembered the boys she knew back in Maine and just how handsy they could be.

Emma had given Ana some words of advice before leaving for the afternoon and Ana had cringed in embarrassment. Regina had fought hard to try and be a 'cool' mom, hoping that she wouldn't act anything like her own mother had done when she was a young girl. It was hard though. She hated the fact that her little girls were growing up so fast and she also didn't want them getting their hearts broken. Especially knowing that in less than a year, they'd be whisked off to Storybrook to save the day.

As the thoughts of all the possible things that could be happening to her daughter filled her head, there was a quiet murmuring outside the door. Regina stopped pacing and was about to open the door angrily but Emma stopped her and put a finger to her wife's lips. "Listen." She whispered. From inside they could here Ana and the boy's awkward exchange.

"Well, I must be getting in. I fear it's extremely late and my parents will be worried."

"Yes, I'm so sorry for losing track of time. It's just, you are so distracting, Ana." the boy said.

"Oh, Thomas! You are so charming! Well, goodnight."

"Ana!" Thomas said in a panic. "May I, erm, may I kiss you?"

There was no response and Emma and Regina looked at each other half cringing, half dying to laugh. Regina was relieved. If he was asking to kiss her then maybe the villagers weren't as ungentlemanly as she had imagined. Emma tried to pull her wife away before Ana opened the door but Regina batted her away. It might have been a romantic evening for her daughter but she was still going to be having words about breaking curfews.

"Oh, goodness! You scared me Moms!" Ana squeaked as she walked through the door.

"Well, I should hope so!" Regina sassed. "You, young lady, scared us. What were you thinking staying out so late? I specifically told you to be home by eight o'clock. You are four hours late!"

Ana huffed. "I know, I know and I'm sorry Mom. We went down to the village fayre and there were so many wonderful things to see and do and I just lost track of time. It won't happen again."

Regina scowled and shook her head. "Ana, you have to respect your curfew. I don't do it to be mean. It's too dangerous for a young girl, especially a princess, to be roaming the streets at this hour."

Ana rolled her eyes and huffed again in true teenager style. "Seriously Mom! I've got magic. If anyone tried to mess with me, I'd turn them into a bug!" Emma laughed. She had pretty much told Ana to do just that if there was even a hint of danger. Regina bit her lip in frustration.

"You know what. Emma, you deal with this as you seem to find it so funny. I know for a fact those are your words, not hers." And she poofed off, leaving her daughter and wife feeling like a pair naughty teenagers.

"Come on kid. Let's go and have a little chat before bed." Emma draped her arm around her daughter's shoulder and led her upstairs. Once they were in the den, she asked, "So, tell me how did it go?"

"He was a darling Ma! He bought me flowers and we danced and we had a romantic dinner together by candlelight and.."

Emma interrupted, "Okay, okay! I get it! How was the kiss? Did he slip in a tongue?" She was deliberately trying to make her daughter uncomfortable and it was working.

"Ma, you are disgusting! Why would he do that?" Ana exclaimed in disgust. Apparently frenching wasn't that popular in the enchanted forest.

"Oh, God! No reason!" Emma tried to back paddle. "Listen, on a serious note though, your Mom and I were really worried. You have to try and at least stick to the rules if you're gonna be dating and he has to respect that too. Tomorrow you better apologise to Mom properly, maybe take her some breakfast in bed, I'll have toast alright. Maybe spend the day with us as a family, you know. You and your sister are growing up way too fast and she's scared you both don't need us that much anymore."

Ana hugged Emma tight. Her Ma was cool on the outside but she knew she meant that she was as scared as her Mom was. They were only 9 short months away from their sixteenth birthday and Ana suddenly felt guilty for getting involved with a boy and not paying her mothers' much attention.

"I'm really sorry Ma. I'm scared too. Love you."

"Love you too kid."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hello and sorry for the delay with this update. This is a bit of fluff to say sorry for leaving things hanging for so long!**

Ana returned to the room she shared with Sofia to find her sister was still awake reading.

"You are in so much trouble," Sofia stated with a hint of a smile tugging at her mouth. "Please tell me you at least got a kiss out of him."

Ana was beaming and ran a finger over her lips, tracing where Thomas's had not long ago been. "He kissed me goodnight. I think I'm in love!"

Sofia dropped the book with a worried look on her face and gave her full attention to her sister. "Really? That good, huh?"

Ana smiled dreamily then looked confused. Her smile vanished and the panic was clear on her face.

"What is it, Ana?" Sofia asked.

"It's just, well there wasn't.." She trailed off and looked at the floor. She had expected the beam of white light and the magic that always came with true loves kiss. It hadn't happened and she was disappointed. "There wasn't any spark."

Sofia pulled her sister onto the bed and wrapped her arms around her. She had always scoffed at her romantic notions but now she was hurting and needed comfort. Sofia stroked Ana's hair lightly and said, "Oh, Ana. We are so young. Look how long it took our Mom's to find each other. Isn't it better that he isn't your true love?"

Ana looked quizically at her sister for her to continue her explanation.

"I mean, if he was your true love, you'd have to leave him in a few months and you would be heartbroken. Our path isn't here in this realm. It's in Storybrook." Sofia said lightly.

Ana nodded. She knew her sister was right but she wanted more than anything to find her true love young so she wouldn't have to suffer the way her Mom's had. "I know Sof. I just wish.."

Sofia clasped her hand over her sister's mouth and shook her head violently. "Don't you dare make a silly wish now! It's too close and we've come too far to mess things up over some boy!"

Ana scrunched her eyes closed realizing she very nearly squandered her only wish and tilted her head to the side in an apologetic manner. Sofia released her hand slowly and Ana hugged her tight. "Sorry, Sof. I'm such an idiot sometimes."

Sofia patted her back and snorted in agreement. "Come, on. Let's get some sleep and I'll help you suck up to Moms in the morning."

...

The light was barely coming over the hills when Regina stirred the next morning. There was a light tapping on their bedroom door and Emma was still snoring like a champ. Regina giggled to herself. How was it she could sleep through her wife's snores and yet be woken by such a quiet rapping? Maybe she was just used to it after all these years. "Enter." She directed at the door and was surprised to see her daughters coming in with tray's balancing in their arms.

"Good morning Mom." Ana started. "I'm very sorry for last night. Please forgive me. We made you breakfast in bed."

Regina raised her eyebrow but couldn't stay mad for long. It always amazed her at how Ana and Sofia banded together in times of crisis. They were so different and always bickering between themselves, but when it came to anything important, they were fiercely faithful to each other. It was sweet and she knew her and her wife had done their very best in raising their daughters.

"That was very sweet of you! Sofia, set that tray down and help me wake your ma." She said with a glint of mischief in her eyes. Sofia chuckled. Her and Regina shared so much in personality at times it was like looking in a mirror.

Emma was still snoring as Sofia and Regina magically levatated her clean off the bed and began wiggling their fingers with evil grins on their faces. Ana looked puzzled until she heard Emma's reaction. There were snores followed by grunts and what sounded like stifled laughter. Suddenly Emma was laughing harder, writhing and squirming, suspended mid air.

"Stop it! Argh! Pl-eeaaase stop!" She screamed out in between giggles and gasps of breath. "Put me down now!"

Regina and Sofia exchanged one last look and Emma fell to the ground with a thud, just next to the bed. The three women were laughing as Emma pushed herself off the floor, face reddened from laughing so hard and rubbing her ass from the fall. She scowled at Regina.

"Was that really necessary?"

Regina lolled her head and said, "Yes it was. You are always so moody in the mornings. We thought you'd like to wake up happy."

Emma pouted at her wife then at her brunette daughter. "Tickling is evil! You are both evil! And the dropping me on my ass thing was totally uncalled for."

Ana picked up the tray and gave it to Emma with an apologetic smile. "We made you breakfast in bed at least."

Emma lifted the lid off the tray and smiled. "Bacon would have been more than enough for me to wake up happy."

The 4 of them lounged around in the bedroom for most of the morning laughing and being silly. Ana explained that she wouldn't be seeing Thomas again and asked her parents about their first kiss stories.

"Mom, did you kiss a lot of people before you felt that spark?" Ana asked too innocently.

Regina blushed and Emma giggled. "Yeah, Regina! Just how many frogs did you have to kiss before you found me?"

Regina was uncomfortable revealing her secrets but knowing that her daughter was only asking to restore her hopes, she decided to tell her story. "I'll have you know, Emma, I haven't ever kissed a frog and nor would I. Ana, your Ma here seems to have forgotten that her daliances have included a flying monkey and a werewolf."

Emma cringed as her daughters looked at her in shock. "I didn't know they were those things did I! Stop deflecting and answer the question, or can't you remember the numbers?" She was not letting her wife off the hook just yet. _Shit. She forgot about Hook._

"Nine. There were nine people I kissed before your mother and I found each other." Regina answered honestly.

Emma looked at her with her mouth agap. She had assumed that after the King's death, The Evil Queen would have had her fair share of encounters. Regina eyballed her wife to leave it alone, knowing only too well where her mind was wandering.

Sofia sensed the tension and could see Ana thought 9 was a high number. She herself was much more realistic about these things so she piped in. "What about you Ma? How many people have you kissed?"

Regina laughed at Emma's internal struggle trying to come up with a figure. She was honestly embarrassed now that she couldn't remember half of the people she had kissed over the years. It wasn't something she kept track of. She knew how many sexual partners she'd had, but kissing just happened so much in her world and it wasn't uncommon for her to kiss more than one person in a day.

They were all staring intently at the blonde woman. She panicked and blurted out, "50? 70 maybe? A hundred?"

The three women looked on in shock and disbelief at Emma's revelation.

"Ahh, come on! Don't judge me! It's totally different there and we don't tend to keep track of these things. Kissing is so normal there. Friends kiss, stranger's kiss in bars and clubs. One summer I even worked at a kissing booth at a local fayre. I must've kissed at least 40 people that day alone." Emma tried to explain.

Regina wasn't really shocked by this information. She knew Emma hadn't had many serious relationships and she also knew that her tally of lovers was on par with her own. She helped her wife out of the hole she dug herself into.

"Not that I am suggesting either of you should go off and kiss as many people as you like, but there, things are different. Kissing doesn't hold the same weight as other things, girls. The magic and romance of kissing is almost a lost art in that world. People take it for granted. Here in the enchanted forest, kissing is seen as powerful. It can break spells and curses, cause changes in and around us and seal  
contracts. In the modern world, it's more about pleasure."

Emma silently thanked her wife with a nod. Sofia giggled and snarked, "So if it's so normal there, how come it took you both so long to kiss?"

Emma took Regina's hand in hers and peppered kisses all over her cheek before turning to her daughter's. "Some kisses are too important, too special and weigh too heavily to be taken lightly. Sometimes, it's the anticipation of a kiss that might never happen that makes your heart flutter. Sometimes, circumstances or fears get in the way." Emma trailed off and looked at Regina who added.

"Some kisses are worth waiting for."


	17. Chapter 17

Over the next four months, the kingdom was a buzz with anticipation of the coming legend. What would happen once the young princesses fulfilled their destiny? Who would rule over the kingdom if Queen Regina and Princess Emma returned to their other kingdom? The villagers weren't alone in their worries. Emma and Regina were feeling at a loss also. The girls had spent almost every day close to their mothers, unsure of how the changes were going to impact their relationships. It was a lot of pressure for everyone but the family was stronger and more dependent on one another than ever.

The eve of the girl's sixteenth birthday was upon them. Understandably, there was no party this year. Regina and Emma had opted to have a small dinner with their closest confidants in the palace. The family had even changed into Storybrook style clothing in preparation of the predicted move. Dinner was quiet and solemn. Regina and Emma were plagued with contradicting emotions. Fear for their daughter's safety, sadness for the end of an era and excitement to see their distant but never forgotten family.

The clock struck midnight as the small gathering sat at the table. Regina stood and raised her glass in a toast. "Happy Birthday to Anastasia and Sofia, our daughter's and darling princesses of the enchanted kingdom."

The guests stood and raised their own glasses saying happy birthday to the girls before drinking. Ana and Sofia looked at each other with a pained expression. It was time. They could feel it. The enchantress must have lifted the sleeping enchantment because suddenly their heads were filling with voices and commands. They could feel Henry, their grandparents and Zelena stirring. It was like a fluttering in their hearts.

Emma eyed the girls and grabbed Regina's hand. "Something is happening to them." Her own heart was beating stronger than ever before. She could feel something lifting inside her, like a blockage.

"Mom, Ma. It's time." The girls said in unison. They ran to their mothers and poofed them out to the spot where the first portal had opened. It was dark and there was nothing there. The girls knew they had to open it themselves. Without a word, the girls acessed their magic and focused on creating the portal. Emma and Regina stood back aghast at the magnitude of their daughter's power.

"You can create portals from nothing?" Regina gasped.

Sofia took her Mom's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "We had to protect our family. All of you. If you knew and we opened it before, everyone would suffer."

Ana continued. "It was too dangerous. We love you both so much and we couldn't risk losing you Mom. Henry and Roland need you. They need all of us."

Regina sobbed realising the weight her daughters had been carrying for so many years. The lies they had told to protect her and Emma, to protect Henry. She felt vunerable and weak. Ashamed even, that she had once been the most powerful sorceress and still she was unable to protect her children and teach them. Their magic was much stronger than anything she had ever seen. To create portals and travel realms without anything but their own magic and heart's desire humbled her.

"We need to leave now." Sofia said lightly not wanting to upset her Mom further. "The enchantress is weakened and the beast is finding his strength." Regina nodded through tears. Ana took Emma's hand, who took Regina's. The four women joined side by side, united as a family stepped fearlessly through the shimmering space.

After the shock of magic coursing through their bodies subsided, the women found themselves back in Storybrook. It was close to the entrance of the town where Emma had first come in herself twenty years ago. She felt oddly calm and settled instantly. She hadn't been so glad to see tarmac in her entire life. As much as she had adapted to forest and palace life, Emma was a modern city woman. She had been afraid at first whether or not she would be able to adapt but her worries lifted instantly as she released a breath of relief she hadn't realised she'd been holding for sixteen years. Here she had a clear purpose. She was the Sheriff, the savoir and on her turf. She knew Regina had been trying to make her as comfortable as possible over the years, allowing her to have free run of the kingdom, but nothing would ever beat the smells and sights of a town, even sleepy little Storybrook.

Emma smiled at her wife. "Hey, I know we've got some ass kicking hero stuff to do but I could really go for coffee right about now!" Regina laughed. She knew her wife so well and she had to admit, coffee sounded amazing. She poofed two steaming cups into her hands and gave one to a beaming Emma.

"Can we try some?" Sofia asked as she caught a whiff of the foreign liquid in the air.

"Maybe after you've dealt with the beast. I remember just how jittery it made me the first time I drank it. Probably not the best way to go into battle." Regina smiled lightly. The caffeine hit her and Emma almost instantly. Sixteen years without so much as a sniff really affected them more so than either would admit.

As they walked back towards the town side by side, Ana and Sofia stopped. Emma turned to look at them. "What's wrong girls? Why are you stopping?"

Ana explained reluctantly. "We need to go to the enchantress. Alone."

Regina shook her head vigorously. "There's no way we are leaving you. We're doing this together. You are our daughter's and just because some legend says you are old enough to do this, doesn't mean we will stand by and leave you to it."

Emma chipped in. "Family sticks together. Your mom and I have fought enough battles side by side to know better than to walk into a situation alone. We learnt the hard way." She glanced at her wife knowingly. There was nothing in the legend about the girls being alone in battle and Gold was sneaky. Regina and Emma knew all his tricks between them.

"Rumplestilskin is manipulative and hard to pin down. I have been dealing with him for more years than I will admit to. Your Ma has tasted the darkness and knows how to handle it. We are going with you." Regina says sternly.

Ana and Sofia looked between each other apprehensively. The Enchantress had been adamant that they should go alone but their mothers had known the beast and Henry had asked them to save him. Their mothers had countless opportunities in the past to kill him and yet he still lived. There was more to this than simple vengeance. The girls nodded at each other and Sofia said, "fine. But you are going the wrong way."

The two women approached the girls and Ana clutches the satchel she had been carrying tightly to her chest. She hesitated and looked at Sofia with begging eyes as she began. "There's something you need to know." Sofia shook her head but Ana continued. "We promised Henry we would save his Grandfather."

Emma and Regina exchanged exasperated sighes and eye rolls. They knew Henry had a hand in this story, more than anyone. Emma began. "So operation cygnets is still a go?"

The girls looked at each other in confusion. Regina smiled at her blonde wife. "I believe It is." She turned to the girls. "So, care to enlighten us on the plan?"

"Wait. You're not mad?" Ana asked in shock. "Don't you want the beast dead?"

Emma and Regina each placed a comforting hand on their daughter's shoulders. Regina spoke. "As much as your Mother and I would love to get rid of Gold once and for all, he is still a part of our twisted family. He is important to Henry and deep down, he is capeable of love."

Emma picked up the story. "Gold is more than the dark one. He loved Henry's father enough to play us all and trick your Mom into casting the first curse. His motivations now are the same." Regina raised her eyebrows in question.

"What do you mean Emma?" She asked.

"He hasn't been able to wake Belle from the sleeping curse because his love for her was less than his love for power. Trust me, I have felt the lure of the darkness. When I went to the underworld to bring back Killian, I knew it wasn't me. It was the lust of power in being able to do so. In feeling like a Goddess." Regina remembered the events with a strange mix of emotions crossing her face. The girls listened with wide eyes. There were some stories they hadn't heard before and this was one of them.

"What he did to us was wrong, I admit. But I can totally see why he did it. Once the dark one has been inside you, you see and feel everything that each previous dark one has felt and seen. Even now, I still feel connected to him. He knew the only way he could ever wake Belle would be if he truly loved her with all his heart. But he could never love her completely without his soul, without his mortality."

Regina was still confused and so we're the girls. "Why? Because his soul was snuffed out by the dark one?"

Emma reached for the satchel in Ana's arms and opened it just enough for the four of them to peer inside. "No. The reason Gold has been able to control the dark one for so long is because he never had his soul to begin with. It's been hidden somewhere else all along."

 **A/N: Hopefully this makes sense. Emma had a unique insight that is vital to the rest of the story. More will be revealed in the next chapters. Thanks for sticking with me!**


	18. Chapter 18

"Emma, how do you know this is his soul? Why did he trick us into going to the enchanted forest if this was all he was after? Why are we only just finding out about this and what are the girls supposed to do with it?" Regina bombarded her wife with questions. It was so much to take in. Emma had explained the story to her about the enchanted rose many years ago but Regina had thought is was only linked to his life physically.

Emma closed the satchel. She didn't know all the ins and outs of it but things had been clicking into place over the years. "Gold's heart was made pure again, remember?" She started and Regina nodded as she recalled the history. "I think when he was pure, he must have caught a glimpse of his old self but he still loved the darkness too much to give it up. When Belle put herself to sleep, he knew he would lose her forever if he didn't change. But he is Rumplestilskin, he couldn't just simply give up his power. I think he knew he needed his soul to be able to love completely but after being out of his body for so long, I doubt it's as simple as putting it back in like an enchanted heart and maybe his soul isn't strong enough to fight the darkness like mine was. Didn't you say he used to be a coward?" She asked Regina.

"He did, yes." She answered and slowly began to fit all the pieces together.

"You've seen how strong the girls are, Regina. And who was it that told us about the legend of maternidadia in the first place?" Emma waited for Regina to connect the dots.

Regina's eyes widened. "Belle! That sneaky little bookworm!"

"Exactly. Haven't you ever wondered how strange it was that she put herself to sleep before the wedding? She knew that when Gold found out there were two magical babies that could defeat the dark one, he'd stop at nothing to get rid of them. She knew that without her there to influence his decisions, he'd do what he always does and try to take us out. She knew the girls had to be born in the enchanted forest and I'm betting she's the one that had access to the amulet in the first place." Emma was impressed with her own brain power.

Regina asked another question, more so to herself. "But how could she know that Good would be capeable of loving her and waking her from the curse?"

Emma answered. "I don't think she cared. Honestly. The last time I saw her before she cursed herself, she was pretty worn down. She told me something else too." Sheepishly she continued and prepared herself for the anger that was sure to be thrown her way upon her revelation. "She was 3 months pregnant with Gold's child."

"What!" All three women screamed at her. Regina continued. "So you've just been keeping this secret for sixteen and a half years! Anything else you want to get off your chest, Emma?"

She bristled knowing that her wife was hurt that she wouldn't trust her with a secret like this. "I promised her I wouldn't tell a soul. She told me she couldn't let Gold be a Father to her child. She feared he would drive it away with magic as he had done with Baelfire. I thought she was going to run away, not put herself to sleep."

Regina chose to ignore her just for the time being. "Well, it still doesn't answer the question, what are the girls supposed to do with this?"

Sofia and Ana had been listening to everything intently but as soon as Emma had said about his soul and the dark one inside him, they'd instantly and telepathically had the same realisation. They knew what needed to be done.

"Mom, Ma. We need to go now! We know how to do this. Do you trust us?"

Emma and Regina both felt the out of their stomachs lurch. How many times had they said that to each other in the past and followed the other blindly into action, not asking a single question.

Emma bit her lip and said, "they're so our kids!"

"Fine. We trust you. Let's go." Regina conceded and the girls poofed the four of them to where the enchantress and Gold were waiting.

...

"Aha dearies! Has it really been sixteen years already? Time does fly when you're frozen in time like a statue!" Gold directed at the four women who had appeared in a plume of smoke behind the enchantress.

"Cut the shit Gold!" Emma directed at the imp noticing he had managed to almost strangle the enchantress with his magic. She blasted her white magic at him missing by only a few inches but it was enough of a distraction for him to loosen his grip on the woman. Regina ran to catch the woman before she toppled to the ground and Gold laughed slyly at the goings on.

"Well, well, well. It seems that the Savior and the Queen are still fighting battles that don't concern them. Do you never learn from your mistakes?" Before either of them knew what was happening, he had the three women shackled together and out of the way over by a tree. "I must say, you are making this too easy for me. You've even brought me two darling little presents to play with. Exquisitely wrapped, it'll be such a shame to spoil them but needs must."

Regina looked at Emma in panic. What was the Imp talking about? Surely he wouldn't hurt the girls. "You lay a hand on them and I will end you Rumplestilskin!" She shouted as she struggled against the magical shackles.

Gold laughed. "Oh Regina, dear. Don't make threats you can't live up to. No, no need to lay a hand on them. They're going to give me just what I want without any resistance whatsoever, aren't you girls?"

Sofia felt a sky grin on her cheeks. "He wants our magic, don't you beast?" Ana looked at her sister, and back to the Imp.

Gold simply wobbled his head, flurries his hand and said, "and there it is! A simple trade girls. You give me your power and I'll free your mothers."

And and Sofia silently comunicated their plan to each other and smiles broke out across both their faces. It was scary to watch. Regina and Emma had never seen how intimidating their daughter's could be and for an instant, Regina believes she had failed in her teachings and they were turning dark, like she had done.

Sofia laughed creepily and raised an eyebrow. "What do you think Ana? Shall we give him a taste of our magic?" Ana nodded and the girls breathed deeply before raising their arms and pointing them in the Imp's direction.

Gold smiled and prepared himself to absorb the magic the girls were undoubtedly about to throw at him. This was his plan. He would feed off their power and drain it for himself. As the magic hit him, his expression changed. Nothing had hit him. He panicked. "What are you doing to me? Stop it right now!" He yelled in a shaky voice.

The girls weren't attacking him the way he had expected. Ana and Sofia were using their skills to draw the dark one from Gold's body. It was a rechannelling of energies they had been refining over the years. What they usually discharged into the earth, they had learnt to also draw out. It was instinctive. "Beast! Don't you know that no one can hold such power?" Ana chided as the blackness poured out from his form.

"How are you doing this? You are light magic users. You shouldn't be able to draw on the dark one!" He yelled in panic.

"We are made of light and dark magic. We are balanced in all aspects and we can correct the wrong that has been done to you." The girls said in unison. It was hypnotic, frightening and calming all at the same time. As they released the dark one from its human tether, the shackles around the three women disappeared but none of them were able to move, transfixed on the pure power that the young girls were performing.

As the last remnants of the dark one lost their hold on the man, he fell to the ground, hollow and broken. The girls removed the rose from the satchel and while Sofia secured the dark one swirling overhead, Ana waved her hand over the rose and channelled the lost soul back to its rightful vessel.

"My heart! I can feel my heart!" Gold wept clutching at his chest. Once the soul was completely channelled, the girls whispered some words and lowered the darkness into the rose. It was absorbed like a sponge, sucking the blackness into each thorn and petal. They knelt on the floor and ceremoniously planted the rose in the ground where it took root, glowing black and white and growing into a thick, thorny Bush which overtook the surrounding trees.

The girls were in a trance, as if meditating as the magic flowed through them, through the ground and was released back into nature, the way it was intended. Regina and Emma ran to their daughters, expecting the force to drain them. It didn't. They were in balance with nature, energised from the give and take exchange that the enchantress had taught them so long ago.

"Are you ok? What was that? How did you do that?" Emma and Regina tried to understand but realised they couldn't.

The Enchantress came to stand with the girls, a look of pride on her face. "You did well princesses. The rose was not in your training. I had to be sure that you would not be corrupted by darkness. The secret to all magic is balance and creativity. You needed to learn that last lesson for yourselves. You truly are the most powerful sorceresses in all the realms." And she bowed down before them. The girls nodded in reverence. They had feared that this woman was an enemy in disguise. They had questioned their mission and made their own path. If they had killed the beast, the cycle would have continued for hundreds of years.

Gold found his strength and hobbled to the five women. "Thank you." Tears streamed down his face. "Please, forgive me for all the wrong I have done to you and your family. I was desperate. I felt no guilt, no remorse, no true happiness. Now I am free, truly free. Thank you and sorry. Words are not enough to express my sentiments."

Regina and Emma felt a pang in their hearts. Gold had been as much a prisoner to the darkness as they had, only he'd held it for so much longer and without a soul. They suddenly felt guilty for all the judgements they had made about him in the past. They couldn't blame him for his actions, just as they had forgiven each other, they knew they would forgive him.

Ana and Sofia placed a kiss on each of his cheeks and giggled.

"What? Thank you. I mean, why did you kiss me?" Gold asked perplexed at the show of affection.

Regina and Emma too were wearing equally confused grins.

"How did it make you feel?" Ana asked.

Gold thought about it for a few moments and said. "Warm. I felt warm."

Sofia winked at her Mom and hugged her tighter whispering, "His soul is where it should be."


	19. Chapter 19

As the six people began walking back towards the town, Emma hung back to talk to Gold. "I need to ask, what were you hoping to accomplish by all this? I mean, you must have known as the dark one that you could lose your power."

Gold smiled sadly. "The dark one in me thought that I needed more power. If I absorbed the power from the girls that I would be strong enough to get what I wanted. You know that insatiable thirst for power, Emma. It snuffs out all logical thoughts and emotions."

Emma stopped walking and faced him to ask another question. "But it was written in the legend that the beast would be defeated. Was there a part of you that wanted that? How did you know about the rose?"

Gold let a tear trickle down his cheek. "The dark one, as you know, believes it is all powerful and everything can be turned in its favor. I had long forgotten about the rose. It was my weakness. The dark one in me hid it away knowing it could crush me. I had no idea anyone knew of it and as long as it was still glowing, I would stay alive. When the girls pulled it out earlier, I thought that my life was over. I would have welcomed it over that emptiness I felt. I had no idea my soul was missing and as soon as it re-entered my body, I realised I hadn't truly felt anything for years. A heart without a soul, even a pure white one, cannot be filled."

Emma smiled faintly. Gold wasn't lying and all remnants of the darkness in him had completely vanished. He was going to suffer with his regrets and dark memories, just as she and Regina still did. She contemplated her next question carefully. "What is it that you want now?"

"Family. It's all I've ever truly wanted. I just hope it's not too late for Belle and I." Gold said solemnly.

Emma shook her head. "It won't be. I'm sure of it. I think it's time you woke her up, don't you?"

Gold smiled at Emma with hope in his eyes.

Ana and Sofia were walking with Regina asking a million questions even though they'd been told many things about Storybrook before, their curiosity and excitement was palpable. "Why are we walking? Where are the magic horseless carriages you told us about? Will we get to ride in one? How is this path made so smoothly? What's that for?"

"Enough girls!" Regina huffed. "There will be plenty of time to explain everything and some things you will have to learn for yourself." It was funny and slightly confusing for her as a mother that her two precious daughters could go from exhibiting legendary magic one minute to being so naive the next.

Emma bounced back up to the three of them and took her wife's hand. "Let your Mom have some breathing space!" The girls shut up quickly sensing there was some real tension in the air. Regina was walking purposefully and looking straight ahead wearing a worried frown. "Hey, look at me honey." Emma insisted and squeezed her hand a bit tighter.

Regina reluctantly looked at her wife whom was grinning from ear to ear. She searched her eyes for the reason for her smile. Emma simply said, "We're going to see our family!" That was all she needed. Her eyes welled up and the mixed smile and wobble of a frown played on Regina's cheeks. She laughed and sobbed as she squeezed her wife's hand back in response. Emma grinned wider. Regina's reaction was adorable. She knew she was just as excited, nervous and ready to burst as she was. The walk was intended to give them time to prepare for this huge reunion and she was grateful that Regina had allowed it before facing the rest of the town.

Emma rested her head on Regina's shoulder as they walked hand in hand and whispered, "think we should warn the girls about the heroes welcome?" Regina laughed evilly as the outline of the town's clocktower came into view.

"They can handle it!" Regina smiled. She was more worried about if she would be able to hold it together. She was a queen and the thought of sobbing uncontrollably in front of the townspeople was unsettling. It had been sixteen years for them but not a day had passed for the town. They wouldn't understand just how much had changed for Emma and herself. She was also worried about how Henry and Roland would deal with suddenly having two older sisters. At least Henry knew about them and had met them a few years ago.

Emma was also nervous but mostly excited. She couldn't wait to show off her daughters to her Mom and Dad and she was dying to see Henry and little Roland. Never in her life had she been so agitated for something. It was a totally new sensation for her. As they neared the centre of town, she could make out a group of people standing outside Granny's.

She squinted her eyes and suddenly her heart felt like it was about to explode in her chest. Regina felt her wife let go of her hand and before she could say a word, she saw Emma running towards the people ahead.

"Mom! Dad! I missed you do much!" She cried out and ran into an embrace with shocked couple. Regina's heart fluttered and she forgot to breathe. The sight of her beautiful, orphaned wife being reunited once again with her parents was more than she could deal with. She disappeared in a plume of purple haze before anyone had the chance to see the tears falling from her cheeks or hear her uncontrollable wails as she lost the ability to compose herself.

"Mom, Dad, meet your granddaughters, Anastasia and Sofia." Emma gestured as the girls came to stand next to her. She turned around to find her wife and was surprised to see she wasn't there. She caught Gold's eye and he mimed a poof with his hands. Emma's face dropped in disappointment. She knew Regina probably just needed to be alone for a little while but she had hoped they would introduce their daughters together. She needed Regina right now. She began to get angry.

Snow and Charming had been exchanging pleasantries with their granddaughters when the realised Regina had disappeared. "Where did Regina go, Emma?" Snow asked.

Emma turned back around trying to plaster on a smile and said. "I think she must have gone to find Henry."

Snow didn't buy it for a moment. She saw the anger bubbling up in her daughter and she took her to the side. "Emma, don't be mad at her. It must be a huge shock for her coming back after all this time. She probably needs a few minutes. Chin up my baby."

Emma threw her arms around her mother giggling. "Mom! Don't ever change! I missed your hope speeches! I love you so much." As much as Emma joked about them back in the enchanted forest, it was comforting and familiar.

"So, is everything... dealt with?" David asked with a side nod towards Gold.

"We're good Dad. I'll catch you up later." Emma responded. "Gold, how about doing that thing we talked about?" She added with a wink.

Gold, who had been stood back with the enchantress and leaning on his cane gave a slow, pursed lipped nod and began walking in the direction of his shop. Emma called out after him, "let me know how it goes." And he waved a thumb in the air without looking back.


	20. Chapter 20

_Regina collapsed on the floor of her vault, exhausted from crying and having hyperventilated. She had a panic attack. The guilt she was feeling for causing her wife's suffering had been bottled up for years. She'd thought it had passed but as soon as she saw Emma's happiness at being reunited with her parents, it came up with a vengeance. She was calming herself down in the darkness, feeling the cool of the stone beneath her hot body. She remembered how they had spent the last 16 years, happy and raising their daughters. Emma hadn't been completely miserable had she? They had had a good life hadn't they? Everything that had happened, apart from her children, seemed to pale in comparison to the life she had pulled Emma away from once again. It was her fault Emma had been orphaned as a baby and it was her fault that she had spent another 16 years away from her parents. She felt horrible about it all._

Suddenly a whoosh of white smoke cleared in front of her. "I knew you'd be down here." Emma sighed and lay down on the floor next to her queen.

"Emma, you should be with your family. Heaven knows I've kept you away from them long enough." Regina said wearily. Emma rolled her eyes realising why Regina had disappeared. She punched her lightly in the arm and answered.

"Will you stop blaming yourself for once woman!" Regina glared at the blonde as best she could through the darkness but Emma carried on before she could say anything. "Fate, if you hadn't already figured out by now, is a bitch when it comes to our lives. If it wasn't you wanting to honeymoon in style, and no, I'm not saying it's your fault, we would have ended up there somehow and probably under worse circumstances. Regina, we have been dealt some shitty hands but look at all the amazingness that has come out of it. We have four beautiful, smart children. Your old mortal enemies have become your in-laws who love you very much. Even Gold is getting a fresh start. We have to enjoy these moments of happiness so we can deal with the next crisis when it undoubtedly comes along. You are my family and I refuse to do anything, even the good things without you by my side, or in front of me, or under me.." she had rolled on top of Regina and was tickling her causing the brunette to giggle and screech.

"I love when you laugh." She said and kissed her lightly, allowing her to catch her breath from the force of giggling.

"Oh Emma. I love you. I was just so overwhelmed seeing how happy you were with your parents and I was about to bawl my eyes out and hyperventilate. Could you imagine Snow and David's faces of that happened!" Regina sighed realising she'd been a tad dramatic.

"I get it hon. You feel everything so deeply. Honestly, I was pretty impressed that you managed to get within 6 feet of them before poofing off!" Regina slapped her wife's ass playfully. "Wanna go see the boys?"

Regina suddenly remembered. "Where are the girls?"

"Mom and Dad are driving them over to the mansion as we speak. If we go now, we should catch them up out front." Emma got off Regina and held a hand out for her to pull herself up. Without a word Regina magicked them to the front of the mansion just as Snow and David pulled up.

"That was close. I wouldn't give your parents the satisfaction of introducing out daughter's to their siblings." Regina scoffed haughtily as ever. Emma wiped a hand magically in front of her wife's face to erase the mascara that had run. Regina's jaw dropped as she realised the state she must've been in and she straightened her posture. Emma was staring at her stifling a laugh.

"Oh for Christ's sake, spit it out before they hear!" Regina drawled, mentally preparing herself for her wife's idiotic comment.

"Didn't think you'd wanna greet everyone looking like some evil panda!"

...

"Regina! Great to see you! Welcome back!" Snow beamed as she awkwardly hugged her daughter in law.

Regina softened and breathed into the embrace. "I must say, I don't think I've ever been quite so pleased to see you, Snow. It's great to be back."

Snow stood back and allowed David to greet the woman. "Welcome home."

"Thanks David."

"The girls were pretty impressed with the squad car. They're still in there fiddling with the seat belts!" David announced and turned around to face the car.

"You'd think they would be more excited to meet their brothers." Regina was shaking her head with a slight grin. "Ana, Sofia, come now."

The girls reluctantly got out of the car. Sofia had already decided that she was definately getting herself one of the strange contraptions as soon as she could. Ana was less impressed. She'd felt a little queasy on the short drive over and decided that horses were her preferred method of transportation.

Regina opened the front door to find Henry, Roland and Zelena all stood in the hallway with a welcome home banner pinned up behind them. Zelena was holding a bottle of champagne and popped the cork as soon as the door opened. "Welcome home!" They cheered and Regina felt the tears prick at her eyes once again.

Henry and Roland ran to their mothers, hugging and kissing whatever face or arm they could get to. For the boys, it had only been a few months but it still felt a long time. "Mom, Ma I've missed you so much!" Henry stated. Roland allowed Emma to pick him up. As they stepped into the hallway, they each gave Zelena a hug and thanked her for taking care of the boys. Snow and David hung back outside, allowing the family to be reunited.

Zelena asked. "Well, aren't you going to introduce us to these gorgeous young ladies?" Her British accent as snarky as ever. Emma smiled down at Roland.

"Hey kid, this is your sister Ana. Wanna say hello?" Roland buried his head in Emma's neck giggling but held out his hand to shake. Ana took it and whispered,

"A pleasure to meet you little Prince. May I have a kiss?" Roland turned around and shyly planted one on her forehead.

"And this is your other sister, Sofia. Say hi."  
Roland held out both arms towards her and Sofia took him from Emma.

"Hey, little big brother!" She said marvelling at his beautiful curls. Roland stared intently at the brunette holding him.

"But my sisters are babies. You are big girls, like Henry!"

Regina came over and took Roland from Sofia's arms. "That's right my sweet boy. Remember they were in Mommy's tummies before we went away?" Roland nodded and tried to look down at where Regina's bump had been before. "Well, when we went away, everybody here went to sleep for a very long time but Mommy Emma and I didn't. Do you understand?" Roland slowly nodded again. "So today you woke up and it only seems like a little time has passed for you but now your little sisters are big girls. But do you want to know a secret?" Regina lowered her voice conspiratorially as Roland whispered, yes. "You are still their big brother. They don't know much about this world so you," she pressed a finger against his nose, "are going to have to teach them how everything works!" He giggled and said, "ok mom," and scrambled down to the floor and back over to Henry saying in a stage whisper, "I'm a big brother too!"

Henry laughed and and ruffled the little boy's hair. Ana and Sofia met Henry in an embrace. "Good to see you again, Henry. Thank you for your help with everything." Ana was the first to speak.

"I can't believe you have grown so much! You were much cuter last time I saw you!" Henry teased to which Ana blushed. Sofia playfully shoved his arm.

"Did you have a good sleep?" She teased back but hugged him tight.

"Yeah, thanks for the memories. I've always wanted to live in a palace."

The adults had been observing the interactions between the children and Snow, David and Zelena all had confused looks on their faces. "Oh charming, sis. You've been back and didn't care to wake me up for a chit chat!" Zelena fumed. "When exactly did that happen?"

Regina and Emma glared at each other before the brunette addressed her sister. _"We_ haven't been back, dear. I'm afraid the girls managed to slip off through a portal for a few weeks when they were ten and they haven't been very forthcoming with the details of exactly what happened."

Henry heard the conversation and felt the shift in atmosphere among the adults. Sheepishly he stated, "umm, sorry. That was my fault. I told them not to tell you because I didn't want you getting into any danger."

"We know!" Emma and Regina said in unison.

"So, I wanna know what memories exactly is Sofia talking about?" Emma asked with her hands on her hips.

Ana piped up. "After we woke Henry up, we had to put him back to sleep so nothing would be altered. Sofia and I gave him our memories as dreams so he could be closer to us." Regina couldn't have been prouder of her daughters in that moment. Such a sweet gesture. A random act of kindness and love for a brother they had met only briefly. She had worried so often about his dreams and this revelation was a sweet relief to her heart.

Henry interrupted her blissful thoughts. "Angry birds, Ma? That was supposed to be a secret!" Regina, Emma, Henry and the girls laughed heartily, leaving the rest of their family bewildered.


	21. Chapter 21

Gold walked into the shop apprehensively. He made his way into the back room where Belle was lain out on the cot. She looked so peaceful. He couldn't believe he'd put her through so much, literally to hell and back and worse, so much worse. This innocent young beauty deserved so much better than the man he was. She'd only ever known him as the dark one and even without a soul, with a blackened heart , she'd stood by him, living him fearlessly.

The final straw for her had been when he reclaimed the dark one's power. He had chosen power over love and she had chosen sleep over him. He couldn't blame her and he doubted she would forgive him. Her last words before the sleep took her were resonating in his brain. _It won't be you who wakes me._ Those words stung even more so now than that had originally. He was still the dark one when she had said it and in his power lust, he'd taken it as a challenge and sought revenge against her father. Oh how he regretted his actions. None of it seemed real anymore. It was like he was being forced to watch an awful horror movie over and over in his head. He was the main character but he felt completely disconnected from that person.

He was scared that he never really loved Belle. He was terrified that it was only the darkness that had turned her into his obsession. He was also scared that Belle couldn't possibly love the real man, the man she had never met. She had always said there was good in him and she was a patient woman but all the emotions he was suddenly able to feel completely were causing him anxiety and now he doubted everything from his time as the dark one.

The bell at the front of the shop rang, pulling him from his tortured thoughts. His heart leapt in his chest as he debated whether or not to attend to whoever it was that had come in. Finding some courage and wiping his face, he walked timidly to the front.

"Rumplestilskin, you must learn from your past and carry the burden of your regrets." It was the enchantress.

"I can't, enchantress. You were right to rip my soul from me. I'm weak, materialistic and a fool. I deserve to die." He looked at the floor, heavy with the weight of his regrets.

"You were weak and you were foolish. You have lived many years in many realms and have seen more than most people. You have loved and lost, cheated death and been given immense dark power and yet you still stand. The Princesses have given you the chance to live freely. Your knowledge is too precious to be lost in death. There is much you must teach the young ones of this realm so that history cannot be repeated. Will you be so selfish as to ignore your responsibilities after everything we have done for you?"

Gold looked up at the woman. He hadn't considered this angle. He saw himself as a snake that had been slipping through the cracks and poisoning people for too long. Indeed, he had lived for much longer than anyone other than the enchantress and his knowledge was vast. "But what good am I without magic? How can I teach without practicing and without.." he trailed off afraid to finish his sentence.

"Without love, Rumplestilskin? How will you know you don't have love if you won't allow yourself to be vunerable to it?" The enchantress riddled.

Gold observed the woman. She had always been the only person in all the realms that helped him to see things clearly. She was his mentor, his conscience, his captor. "Why are you so concerned with me? Why must I risk torturing myself again and again? Why won't you let me die?"

The enchantress produced a wand made of what appeared to be sapphire. She waved it over the man's head and chanted; "to see the possibilities, I grant to thee a vision of what was once, is now, will be the ultimate fruition."

Gold staggered backwards, aghast at the visions that had flooded his thoughts. He was sweating profusely and breathless from the surge of such powerful sorcery. "It can't be! That's, it's too much. I don't deserve that title, that, that life!"

The enchantress spoke softly and placed a the one he had placed on the counter to steady himself. "Rumplestilskin, I have shown you your destiny. Now you must begin your journey. I have guided you for as long as I could. The future is in your hands. Teach them as I have taught you."

...


	22. Chapter 22

Once the family had all settled down from the reunion, they headed to the dining room where Zelena had prepared a small feast. "My cooking isn't much but Granny helped me out with a few tasty morsels."

On the table lay an assortment of family favorites, things Emma and Regina hadn't tasted for a very long time. There were bear claws, lasagne, French fries, milkshakes, burgers, pizza, kale salad, root beers and fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses which Zelena knew the women didn't have access to in the enchanted forest.

"Zelena dear, you never were one for subtlety!" Regina teased but was smiling and secretly thrilled at the sight of the feast, particularly the French fries, not that she'd admit it. Emma had no qualms at all about digging into the treats.

"Oh Z! This is awesome!" She said between bites of pizza and glugs of milkshake. Ana and Sofia looked curiously at their Ma who was behaving like a pig and shovelling the strange food into her mouth by hand.

Regina handed the girls a plate and some cutlery, noticing their shock. "This is buffet style dining, girls. Finger food if you will." She demonstrated her point by daintily picking up some of the kale salad with the tongs and placing it on her own plate. The girls copied her actions. They weren't sure what food to try but Regina guided them. "Stick to the meats and fruit for now. I doubt your stomachs are able to handle that much dairy." She glanced over at her wife disdainfully. She knew for a fact Emma was going to make herself sick after spending so many years eating organic and unprocessed food.

"What?" Emma asked with fry grease dribbling down her chin.

Regina shook her head. "Nothing dear. Just don't blame me when you're feeling the effects later on."

Snow butted in. "Hey, Emma sweetie. Maybe slow down on the cheese, hmm? It takes a bit of getting used to again." She grimaced. "Not pleasant."

Emma suddenly understood what they were getting at and wiped her mouth. She remembered how bad she'd felt after just a few sips of coffee earlier on. "Right. Got it. Point taken."

Zelena and David were laughing as Regina daintily cut up a French fry that had snuck onto her plate. "Once a queen, always a queen, right Charming!"

Regina shot her sister a warning look. "Darn right! Someone in this family has to set an example of good table manners."

"They're French fries, Gina. Not haute cuisine! Pick the damn thing up! We're not in court now, nobody here's gonna judge you." Emma added and tried to feed her wife a fry with her own fingers. The girls giggled. They'd never seen people behaving like this. It was relaxed, fun and they could see the appeal of life in Storybrook.

After they'd finished their feast, Roland and Henry led their sisters to the living room to show them how to play video games, leaving the adults to catch up properly. Emma had taken Henry aside and explained that Gold was doing well and that she'd talk to him properly when there were less people around.

The adults sipped on wine, except Emma and David who were chugging on beer, and relaxed in each other's company. "So how was it living in a palace again Regina? What's changed back home?" David asked innocently. He had to admit, when he found out about the pendant, he'd been quite jealous to begin with. He and Snow had wanted so much to go back for so long but now, knowing what Regina and Emma had endured, he was more curious than anything else. Still, the pangs of homesickness were stronger than ever.

"Not much changed at all David. Well, not until Emma got her hands on things." Regina smirked.

"I put indoor plumbing in the palace and solar panels for electricity, Dad!" Emma beamed proudly.

David laughed. "I was concerned how you'd cope without modern amenities. Glad to hear you weren't too uncomfortable."

Snow picked up. "And what of the surrounding kingdoms? Was there any animosity? Any ogre wars?"

"There have been no wars between any of the kingdoms ever since we returned. It was a little touch and go for a while, especially when the girls disappeared, but the people seemed to calm down quickly." Regina remembered.

Emma added. "My wife is an amazing queen. The people love her there. She's a real hero to them."

Regina blushed slightly. She wasn't used to compliments and she felt that she didn't quite deserve the praise Emma was throwing her way. "I can assure you, I'm no hero. I doubt I would have been safe at all if it weren't for Emma and the girls. Your daughter is a natural Princess, as charming as her parents." There was no malice in her words, just simply stated facts. Snow and David were tearing up.

Zelena excuses herself from the table and went to check on baby Robin. She had no doubt that there would be ample opportunity to hear all about her sister and sister in law's escapades over the coming months.

Snow began to talk. "I wish we could have been there with you. All we ever wanted was to see you grow up and become the Princess you were destined to be."

Emma blushed a little. Regina may have exaggerated a little about her princessly qualities but she wasn't about to burst her mother's bubble and admit she spent more time looking like a construction worker than swanning around in fairytale dresses at balls.

"So what happens now?" David asked. "I take it Gold isn't going to be an issue any longer, but what about everything else?" Snow and Regina knew what he was getting at but it hadn't occured to Emma the whole time they'd been away that her parents and the rest of the townspeople would be expecting some huge change.

Regina fiddled with the stem of her wine glass deep in thought. All she had thought about for the past few months was what would happen after the girl's destiny had been fulfilled. Could they go back to how things were? Would Storybrook even survive? Would they finally get to live out their lives in peace as a family? She remembered Emma's words from earlier in the vault.

"Let's drink a toast." She raised her glass waiting for the others to join her before continuing. "To living happily until the next crisis!" Emma squeezed Regina's knee under table. They clinked their glasses and David felt the whoosh of relief wash over him. Regina was right. Why worry about anything more when these moments were so precious and rare.

...

"You are totally cheating Sofia! You can't use magic to win! It's supposed to be a fair fight!" Henry moaned as his character died again. Sofia was kicking his ass something rotten and cackling.

"I'm not using magic, I swear! Ana, tell him!" Sofia screeched.

"It's true, Henry. She's fighting valiantly." Ana sighed.

"You, young brother, are a sore loser! Admit it. You only wanted to play me because you thought I'd be a push over." Sofia was extremely competitive, just like her Mom and she knew Henry wasn't used to being beaten at his own game. The controls were pretty easy to get used to. Emma had taught them about video games back at the palace with the intention of eventually getting Henry's name off the high scores.

Henry sulked and threw the control at Ana. "I was going easy on you beings as you're new here. Ana, your turn. Winner stays on."

Ana grabbed the control and jumped up on the couch next to Sofia. "Don't worry Henry, I'm gonna whip her into submission."

Sofia scowled in such a way, Henry had to do a double take. She looked just like his Mom. "Oh Ana! Sweet little Ana! You are gonna regret those words. It's on!"

Henry sat back and watched his sisters battle it out. _So this is what family is!_ All his life, before Roland, he'd been alone. He'd always wanted brothers and sisters and now he had them and it was amazing. The first time he'd met them, he'd felt nothing but love and protection for them and now that were older than him, it was a little weird but he still felt the same. He knew Emma had been training them because he'd seen their memories. They felt like his own memories now. They shared a bond and understanding and he felt he had been there with them, watching from the side lines. It occured to him now that they didn't have that luxury of knowing his past. They weren't even born so they couldn't have either way. Maybe that's how it was supposed to be between siblings. What he couldn't show them, he'd teach them.

Regina and Emma popped their heads around the door to find their children all scrunched up together on the couch. Roland had fallen asleep from all the excitement and Henry was sat in the middle of Ana and Sofia trying to distract one of them enough to throw them off their game so he could get back on. It was a picture worthy moment and one that neither of them ever wanted to forget, let alone interrupt.

Regina spoke softly after a few moments. "Your grandparents are leaving now and it's almost time for bed. Come and say goodnight."

The three teens got up and walked to the hallway to say goodnight. Regina went and collected Roland who had hardly stirred as she picked him up. Snow and David hugged each of their grandchildren fiercely, promising to see them again tomorrow and introduce baby Neal. After they'd waved off the Charmings, Regina led the family up to their rooms.

First, she put Roland down in his cot, then they kissed Henry goodnight, hugging him extra hard. As they walked towards the girls nursery, the parents realised they hadn't even considered the sleeping arrangements for their teen daughters. Emma winced as she pushed open the door. "So, erm, we weren't exactly prepared to bring home two sixteen year olds as you can see from the decoration!"

Ana and Sofia gave each other knowing smiles and giggled when they saw their mothers' reaction.

Regina spoke. "What! When? Who?" The room had been redecorated with twin beds. Half the room was pink and the other was lilac. There were books and dressers with copies of some childhood toys the girls had cherished when they were younger and in the middle of the room hung an exact replica of a painting of the four of the them Regina had commissioned back in the enchanted forest.

"We realised when we first came here that this was to be our room." Ana explained timidly. "I hope you don't mind but we thought we'd redecorate and make it more age appropriate for when we returned."

Regina sighed joyously. "It's perfect girls." She hugged them both closer and turned to Emma who was trying to hide the tears. "You were right. We have the smartest, kindest and most beautiful family."


End file.
